


The Burning Fire

by kenwave, TimelessTragedy



Series: The Fire That Burns [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Found Family, Multi, Pre-Canon, Slow Burn, Trans Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2018-08-14 14:18:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 95,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8017291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenwave/pseuds/kenwave, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimelessTragedy/pseuds/TimelessTragedy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He never expected to be a father at 25. He never expected to be a father at all. But having a heartbroken child look at you like you're their whole world can change everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Translations in end notes.

Fresh faced, newly assigned and with the bone deep ache of the treatments ever present, they moved through one of their first assignments as part of an elite team. Reyes’ boots scuffing lightly over torn up concrete was a gentle comfort as they moved steadily through blood soaked streets.

“ _Damn,”_ a voice hummed in his ear, tone almost cheerful. _“We missed most of the battle!”_

“Stay focused,” Reyes snapped, his voice echoed. He scowled as they turned a corner, dark eyes scanning their surroundings. “Ana, you see anything from up there?”

The piece in his ear beeped to life. “ _here is movement ahead. Hostiles.”_

“How far?”

“ _A_   _few blocks. Near you and Morrison.”_

Brown eyes met blue. Grips tightened on polished weapons as they set off at a jog. The previous quiet was replaced by the pounding of heavy boots as sudden shots broke through the night.

Then came screams, terrible screams that chilled him to the bone. Years in the army it seemed had not softened the heartbreak of the cries of the innocent. He hoped it never did.

They stopped as suddenly as they began - following the sound of gunshots. The thundering of omnic footfalls started again, moving toward them only to be met by shotgun fire.

The first few fell quickly, armour shredded and limbs sparking. But those behind the first took aim, driving Morrison and Reyes back behind cover.

“ _Jack, see if you can go through one of the buildings, get behind them,”_ Reyes’ voice crackled in his ear. He nodded to himself and agreed aloud, following the back alley to the nearest door, pushing it open with his shoulder.

The scent of gunpowder was fresh, the apartment building creaking and settling as the battle continued outside. Old wood protested beneath his feet as he stepped forward.

Something didn't feel right. It was like ghosts hung within the walls, their cold eyes following him through the too quiet halls. He could almost smell the blood.

_In and out_ , he told himself.

Turning the corner, he found that he actually _was_ smelling blood. Fresh blood that still oozed from three still people, red and thick and spreading. One still moved slightly, a dark haired woman with a trail of red dripping from parted lips. But her chest was littered with weeping wounds. Her chocolate eyes met his.

She spoke to him, sweet voice broken and weak, the words foreign. He crossed the room to her, crouching. His hand found hers.

He picked his way through slow Spanish, " _La ayuda ya viene en camino_."

The twitch of her lips called him out on his lie.

He caught ‘my boy’ in the next thing she said, and she lifted her hand, not tearing her gaze from his until her head fell to the side.

“ _Ven acá_ , _mijo,_ ” she whispered. “ _La ayuda está aquí_.”

He followed her unblinking gaze to the bed. Red seeped out from under it.

His hand flew to his comm. “Gabe! There's a kid!”

“ _A kid?_ ” a few of his teammates echoed.

His knees scraped on the floorboards, hands slipping in slick blood that coated his skin and clothes. Grasping fingers curled around the soft skin of an arm, pulling, jostling.

Eyes the colour of warm chocolate set in a thin face flickered open, full of terror and pain. They were already sliding shut again.

Worry briefly flashed through him as the child’s breathing stuttered, blood appearing on his lips. Slowly, he spoke to him, trying to get him to open his eyes once more. He knew the kid wouldn’t be able to understand a word of it if judging by the Spanish the woman spoke on her deathbed. He reached out his arms, gesturing for the kid to come toward him, while saying “ _ven acá”_ in as calm a voice he could manage.

He watched the child try to shift toward him, mumbling in pained Spanish. The movements stopped, and the boy fell back onto his chest.

“ _Todo está bien._ ” Jack pieced together the phrase slowly, inching toward the child, grabbing onto his arms. “Okay. Let’s go,” he huffed out as he pulled the boy out from under the bed, trying his best to not jostle any of his injuries. It earned him cries and sobs, interrupted by the wet sound of his lungs trying to clear.  

_“Morrison, the hell’s going on?”_ Reyes demanded over the comm.

“You know that kid I mentioned?” Jack grunted, pulling the child to his chest. “He’s badly injured. I think he’s coughing up blood.”

There was a growled out curse. _“We’re going back.”_

Jack nodded. “Copy that.” Bundling the boy as best as he could, he made his way over to the woman who he presumed was the child’s mother, stopping a moment to close her eyes in respect. “I’ll make sure he lives,” he promised before exiting the blood soaked room for good.

_“How much blood has he lost?_ ” Ana asked.

“I can’t say. Looked like he was lying in a pool of it.”

_“He needs immediate medical attention. Do you see a wound?”_

Jack placed the child down gently, making sure there were no omnics in sight. Carefully, he checked him over for any injuries. He saw minor lacerations on his fingers and arms, but nothing that would cause blood to pool out. Slowly, he flipped over the boy, his shirt feeling damp as opposed to the caking dry blood on his front. Gently he lifted it up, a bright red wound oozing blood greeted him.

“Found it.”

_“Where?_ ”

“Looks like it’s toward the bottom of his rib cage.”

_“It’s his lungs.”_

_“Shit._ Okay, I’m heading back to camp. I only have the equipment to dress basic wounds.”

_“I’ll meet you there. Reyes, I’m moving.”_

_“We’ve got it under control here,”_ Gabriel said back.

The comms went silent, leaving Jack with the sound of the child’s unsteady breathing.

Hoisting the child in his arms once more, he started to retrace his steps. Climbing over old carcasses, both human and omnic, while often checking the boy’s breathing, speaking quietly about mundane farm tasks as he went.

The child shifted slightly, cutting off a pained whisper, before asking something in a small voice.

Unable to make out what was said, Jack resorted to stroking the boy’s hair, beginning to hum a song he remembered his mother singing to him when he was a small boy recovering from an illness.

The boy didn’t speak again, even as the others came into sight.

As soon as Jack made out the familiar forms of Reyes and Ana, he waved them over, gesturing silently to the child, not wanting to disrupt what little peace he had received.

“May I?” Ana asked, reaching for him.

He nodded, passing off the child to Ana’s awaiting arms. She cradled him to her chest, already beginning to check his condition as he squirmed and reached for Jack.

Hovering, Jack followed Ana as she placed the boy on her sleeping bag, quickly getting rid of his bloody shirt and pulling out her medical supplies. He gasped and whimpered, fresh tears filling his eyes as he coughed and choked, fresh drops of blood trailing from his mouth.

The hopeless look being directed at him was one Jack did not want to see on a child ever again. While Ana tended to the boy, he grasped his small hand, and held it, letting the boy squeeze it if the pain became too much for him to handle.

“He’ll be alright,” Ana told him softly, her eyes meeting Jack’s.

He nodded, lightly squeezing the boy’s hand and letting go. “I promised his mother he’d make it out alive.”

“He will. You found him in time. He needs rest.”

Giving him one last glance, Jack left his bedside, leaving Ana to tend to him in peace.

“Jack,” Reyes called.

“Yeah?” Jack ran over to him.

“I’ve got Liao looking into who the kid is, if he’s got family. If not, the higher ups are going to send for him and he’s going to be put into foster care. So try not to get too attached.”

He frowned. “I hope for his sake that he does have family left. I’ve heard horror stories about foster care. And when was the last time I’ve gotten too attached to something? I’ve been doing good.”

He got a glance complete with raised brow and a smirk pulling at the corner of Gabriel’s mouth.

Turning away, he crossed his arms in front of his chest defensively. “Okay. Fine. I’ll try to not get too attached to the kid, but I can’t make any promises.”

His companion chuckled.

“Did everything go smoothly on your end?”

“We pushed back the omnics, it’ll have to do for now.”

He nodded. “As long as we don’t get ambushed. Especially with a kid here. He’s seen enough bloodshed.” He looked back to where the boy was now sleeping peacefully on Ana’s bed roll, curled up on his side.

“We can’t protect them all,” Gabriel reminded. “I’m taking Reinhardt, we’re going to scout out the area, make sure the omnics are under control.”

“Got it. Stay safe, Gabe.” Jack clapped Gabriel on the shoulder, moving back to where Ana was dutifully watching over the small boy, cleaning the blood from the clothing she had removed from his unconscious form.

She had him help her, to keep his hands busy. They hung up the clothes to dry and she set him away to rest.

He gave her a nod, knowing that he should do as she told. She was in her ‘doctor mode’, which wasn’t too different from when she was being motherly. However, too much residual energy still flowed through his veins, and he soon felt himself becoming restless lying in his makeshift bed, mind wandering. He didn't like it. After rolling over for the umpteenth time, he decided to give up on sleeping, resorting to keeping watch on their camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spanish:  
> La ayuda ya viene en camino - Help is coming.  
> Ven acá, mijo - Come here, son.  
> La ayuda está aquí - Help is here.  
> Todo está bien - It's going to be okay.
> 
> Hope you’ve enjoyed it so far! We’re aiming to update pretty regularly depending on our schedules (university and work get in the way of writing time, don’t you think?). 
> 
> You can find kenwave on tumblr @eachael if that's your thing
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading, see you in the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

“Jesse McCree, age seven, was visiting with his parents and a family friend,” Liao told them. “The family we’ve located has been contacted, but as of yet no one has responded to our attempts.”

Nodding solemnly, Jack glanced back at the boy - Jesse - who Ana was looking over. She quickly changed the bloody bandages, cleaning the wound gently, while talking to him about something Jack couldn't quite hear. From the look on Jesse's face, it seemed as if he couldn't understand what was being said, but he listened to her voice all the same. 

“We’re handing the kid over to the authorities then, he’s not our problem,” Reyes said, crossing his arms. “We’re not equipped to handle a situation like this. Jack, get him ready to go. They’ll be here tonight.”

Jack opened his mouth to retort, but he knew before he said anything that Reyes wouldn't listen to him. Once he had his mind set on something like this, there was no way it would budge unless there was very good reason.

Instead, Jack nodded, walking over to where Jesse was now fiddling with the bandages wrapped around his torso. Dark, scared eyes flicked up to his face then down again, thin shoulders curling in. The child turned his face away, chewing his bottom lip.

Kneeling in front of the boy, he gently placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to coax Jesse out of the shell being built up around himself. He could feel the faint trembles racking the boy’s small frame.

Jesse’s mouth opened and closed, not a sound escaping his lips. Fresh tears rolled down his dark cheeks.

The look on the boy’s face broke Jack's heart. Without a second thought, Jack pulled Jesse forward into an embrace, hopefully bringing some comfort to him.

After a moment of hesitation, fingers were curling in the front of his jacket, a face pressed against into the crook of his neck to muffle sobs. The boy clung to him, his trembles renewed as he whimpered and cried, short sentences dribbling out between the shuddering breaths.

Much to Jack's disappointment, he was unable to understand anything Jesse was choking out. Doing the best to comfort the boy, Jack started humming a simple melody and stroked the boy's hair as he sobbed, his shirt becoming a wet, snotty mess. He couldn't bring himself to care.

“He wants to go home,” Gabriel said behind him, his heavy footfalls almost hidden by the child’s cries. “That’s what he’s saying.”

Pulling Jesse closer to his chest, Jack nodded in acknowledgement. “I'm sorry, Jesse.”

“ _Lo siento_ , Jack,” his commander supplied, crouching.

“ _Lo siento,_ ” Jack echoed and repeated, his pronunciation inevitably off. But it worked to get the child to look up, a faint smile on his lips. A smile that he noticed and was quick to return. He attempted to wipe any sadness he felt for the child from his face to help him feel better.

Gabriel cursed under his breath before catching Jesse’s attention, speaking in slow, soft spanish. The boy glanced between them and tightened his grip on Jack’s jacket, pressing into him and nodding before murmuring something back.

The older man sighed and sat back on his heels before standing and stepping away, already calling out to one of the others to get in contact with the main base.

Jesse started to mumble again, and this time Jack caught the word ‘please’ among the quiet Spanish.

Frowning, Jack mentally cursed at himself for not paying as much attention to the Spanish that Gabriel had attempted to teach him, or for making much of an effort to learn. “ _Lo siento,”_ he repeated. “I can’t understand much of what you’re saying.”

Jesse’s grip tightened and his eyes slid closed instead of trying again, folded against Jack’s chest. Soon, his breathing evened out, face relaxed in sleep’s embrace. Relieved that the child was no longer sobbing, he attempted to put him back on the bed roll, only for the small hands to remain clinging to his jacket as if it were a lifeline.

He smiled softly to himself and stayed put, letting Jesse sleep against his chest, listening to the sounds of the others working around him.

Soon, Jack started to grow stiff. Staying in the same position with extra weight pressing against his chest for the amount of time he had adding to his discomfort. Quickly, he checked the time. He frowned.

The people who were supposed to collect the boy hadn’t shown up. While he wasn’t expecting them to be on time, he didn’t think they would be this late either considering it was a child’s life on the line.

Hours passed by, and Gabriel hadn’t said a word to him about any delays, nor had the man so much as mentioned needing to get Jesse ready again.

Catching Gabriel’s eyes, he gestured for the man to come closer. With a huff of annoyance, he did.

“What?”

“What happened to the people who were going to pick up Jesse? They’re late.” Jack adjusted the boy’s position so blood flow would return to his legs.

“They’re not late.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re not coming.”

His eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. “Did they get delayed? Or do they have to do something that’s more urgent?”

“I cancelled.”

“You found some remaining family?” Hope lit up Jack’s eyes.

“No.”

“Then why?”

“You really think we can peel him off you?”

Jack looked down, Jesse clinging to him as if he were a beloved teddy bear. “I guess not.”

“And you can't tell me that when it came to handing him over that you wouldn't hesitate.”

“You’ve got me pegged, Gabe.” Jack chuckled.

He got a fond eye roll. “I'm not taking care of the kid. Not if we do end up keeping him.”

Jack smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkled. “He deserves a good life, Gabe.”

“You've only known him for a day.”

“I know, but, he seems to be attached.”

"You know you’re going to end up adopting him at this rate.”

Jack laughed. “You say that, not expecting me to adopt him, but knowing your luck it might end up happening,” he joked.

“Oh I’m sure it’s going to happen,” he said back, crossing his arms loosely, eyeing the child. “If we don’t find someone to take him in, I already know you’re keeping him with you.”

Pulling the boy closer to his chest, wrapping him in a loose embrace, Jack smiled down at him softly. “It’s a good thing I didn’t make that promise about not getting attached.” He looked back up at his commander, offering him a soft smile. “I would have broken it.”

“I knew it.”

“Hey, don’t give me that look!”

Raising his brow, Gabriel lifted his hands in mock surrender, a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth.

With a huff that he put on for show, Jack turned back to the boy, whose face was scrunched up, and moaning in pain from his wound. Not knowing what to do, he resorted to speaking to the child about mundane tasks that one would have to do if they lived on a farm. When his tales of farm work ran out, he moved on to ranting about the sheer amount of corn in the small town he lived in. He continued to talk, not knowing that Jesse’s face had smoothed out again and he had fallen back into a deep slumber.

 

* * *

 

The base was a noisy place; people shouted to one another over the whirs of machines, feet slapping concrete as they practically ran from place to place. Eyes turned on them as Reyes and his team returned from the field, child in tow.

Jesse’s hand curled into the fabric of Jack’s pants as they walked, eyes turned on the busy world around them, nervously taking in the sights. He gripped the fabric in his hand tighter. He wanted to hide from all of the commotion, but it wasn’t possible with a constant stream of people coming from all directions.

“ _Where are we?”_ he asked his new guardian softly. Someone came too close and he pressed into the man’s leg to hide.

He heard the man briefly speak to someone, not really understanding what was being said until the familiar voice of the man said, “ _at our base,_ ” in rather awkward and slow Spanish, patting Jesse lightly on the head as he did so.

_“Base_ …” he repeated, trying to make himself calm down as he was led into a room of white. It smelled funny.

“ _Uh huh._ ” The man picked him up, placing him gently on a table that had weird scrunchy paper on top of it. He didn’t like it very much, but the smile that was given to him made him feel better about putting up with it.

A man came in a few minutes later dressed in a white coat and they talked. He couldn't understand.

He started to chew on his bottom lip.

With a quick nod, the man in the white coat approached Jesse, a friendly smile on his face. However, it just made him feel scared of the man; he had a large toothed grin that made him uncomfortable. He turned to the blond man, who was now standing near the door and looked at him with large, pleading, brown eyes.

He was offered a gentle smile and a nod from the blond. He said something that the boy didn’t know.

Making an attempt to mirror the man’s smile, Jesse startled slightly when the other man in the room lifted up his shirt to his chest, checking his bandaged torso over in the process.

Tears started to fill his eyes.

He wanted his mama.

Next thing he knew, the familiar man was by his side, stroking his back.

" _I_ _t’s okay_.”

His fingers curled around the sleeve of the man’s jacket. Throughout the whole checkup, the man stayed by his side, something Jesse was grateful for. He was the only person in the entire place that he was comfortable around, who could offer any sort of comfort to him.

The only person alive now who would willingly let him hold his hand in a death grip when he needed the comfort.

_“Please don't leave me…”_ he whispered.

The man heard him, but there was still a somewhat blank look to his face whenever Jesse said something to him. He offered Jesse another smile.

He liked the smiles. It suited the man.

The man in white said something else before leaving them alone.

Looking up to the blond, Jesse lifted up his arms, in what he thought was a pretty universal symbol for wanting to be held. The man rolled his eyes a bit, but he knew that the blond didn’t mind. There was fondness in his eyes, and he picked up Jesse all the same.

The door opened, and the other man dressed in black stepped in.

Hard, dark eyes softened slightly. He spoke to the blond before turning his attention on Jesse.

“ _You’re sleeping in Jack’s room tonight.”_

 _"Jack?”_ he asked.

 He rolled his eyes fondly, pointing at the blond. “ _He’s Jack.”_

_“Ah, sorry.”_ The man - Jack - rubbed the back of his head as he spoke, a sheepish looking grin on his face. The rest of what he said was incomprehensible to Jesse, Jack having switched back to what he had come to recognise as English.

_“We’re still trying to find the rest of your family,”_ the man in black continued.

Jesse pouted. “ _I don’t know if I have more family.”_

He frowned. _“If you don’t we can’t do much to help.”_

Jesse looked away and shrugged, kicking his legs back and forth, trying his best to hold back a sniffle. “ _I want to go home.”_

_“We’re trying, son. For now, stay with Jack. He’ll take care of you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're going to try our best to update on Sundays!
> 
> You can find kenwave on tumblr [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com)


	3. Chapter 3

Breathe in. Exhale. Jack gripped the pen in his hand, looking at the forms Gabriel handed to him. He had read over every word, twice, and he felt like his head was full of cotton. Eyes wide.

“Are you sure you want me to do this?” he asked, looking up at his commander, blue eyes wide.

“You think I would have asked you to fill them out if I wasn't?” he responded, leaning back in his chair with arms folded. “It's up to you.”

He nibbled on the pen cap, nodding.

They had all looked for any remaining family members that Jesse might have had, but their search had come up with nothing substantial, and thrusting the boy into the foster care system - something both he and Gabriel had discussed a few weeks prior - was an idea he was uncomfortable with, having heard the horror stories. But was he really ready to look after the kid?

Of course, he knew if he did sign the papers, he’d have his entire team behind him, helping and supporting them the whole way. Ana was already raising little Fareeha on her own with help from the Strike Team as well, it wasn’t impossible for him to take the child in and raise him as well.

“There’s _one_ condition,” Gabriel said suddenly, leaning forward.

Jack gulped. “Yeah?”

“You take the time to learn some goddamn Spanish.”

Relieved, a laugh bubbled out of him, the corners of his eyes crinkled. “Yeah, yeah. I got it.”

Gabriel relaxed again, a smile lifting the corner of his mouth. “Kid acts like a fucking puppy with you, and he can’t even understand a word you’re saying.”

“I don’t understand how he got so attached.” He twirled the pen in his hand, returning his gaze back to the pile of forms sitting in front of him innocently. “I don’t understand how _I_ got so attached.” He laughed again.

“It’s you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The smile returned to his face, this time it was slightly lopsided. Jack’s eyebrows raised.

He shrugged, dark eyes shifting to anywhere but Jack’s face. “You signing those forms or not?”

After thinking it over once more, he gave a slow nod, exhaling shakily.

“I’m not sure if I’m ready for this amount of responsibility, but I’m going to try my best.”

Flipping to the correct page, he pressed the pen on the line next to the little black ‘x’, and signed his name slowly, as if elongating the process would make it more special rather than the normal quick sweep of his signature.

“You get to break it to the kid.”

The smile that was painting his face was quickly replaced with a frown. “I can’t speak Spanish. He won’t understand me.”

Gabriel smirked. “I guess you’ll have to play charades.”

“Oh yeah? And how do you suggest I charade that I adopted him?”

“You’ll figure it out. Don’t keep him waiting.”

With a final nod, Jack stood up, handing the papers back to Gabriel who took them with a small jerk of his head in acknowledgement, filing them away to be sent to the right people, and left the room. The weight that he didn’t realise had made its home on his shoulders was finally gone now that Jesse’s fate wasn’t completely up in the air.

It made a smile come to his lips as he made his way back to his quarters.

Once he finally reached his destination, he noticed a note taped on his door. Quickly, he pulled it off to read what it said, recognising Gabriel’s messy scrawl immediately.

He smiled to himself as he read it, trying to memorize the words he’d need to know to tell Jesse he would have a family again.

Slowly, he spoke the words, letting them roll over his tongue. He knew he wasn’t very good with Spanish, his accent was something completely atrocious and had caused Gabriel to want to strangle him on several occasions. With a quick nod, he crumpled up the paper and shoved it in his pocket.

Relaxing his shoulders, he opened the door.

Jesse looked up from the bed, the television playing an old crackly video. “ _Hola_ , Jack.”

“ _Hola_.” Jack smiled at the boy, walking up to him. Briefly, he glanced at the tv, noticing he was watching an old movie with Spanish subtitles. Ana had suggested he let Jesse watch tv in order for him to help learn English.

The boy motioned for the blond to join him on the bed, smiling up at him.

Jack nodded in understanding, placing himself on the bed beside the boy who was now his son. He tried to keep his face relatively neutral while delivering the news to him, but the huge grin could not be hidden for long.

Chocolate eyes grew wide, a matching smile forming on Jesse.

Thin arms were thrown around him.

Wrapping his own around the boy, Jack drew him close to his chest. “You won’t be alone. I’ll be here for you.” He knew Jesse wouldn’t be able to understand the words, but he hoped the sentiment would be able to get across to him.

In response, Jesse murmured something in Spanish softly, eyes closing.

Closing his eyes as well, Jack started brushing Jesse’s hair soothingly, putting all of his responsibilities aside for this moment.  

He had a son now. How strange.

The movie had picked up pace behind them, a gun fight unfolding. It made Jesse turn to look as the characters began to shout.

Jack worried at the sight of blood on the screen. Should he really be allowing the child to be watching something like this? He had seen his fair share of blood already, still mourning the death of his family no matter how hard he tried to hide it. Would the movie that was currently grabbing his attention so completely so suddenly remind him of the gruesome deaths he had to witness?

Jesse folded his hand into a gun shape and mimed firing off a shot at the screen with a small smile.

A laugh of disbelief forced its way out of Jack, his worries easing for the moment. It seemed the kid was just enraptured by the colour and antics of the cowboys on screen. The boy turned his smile on his adoptive father, giggling.

He shook his head fondly. “Those are cowboys. You like them?”

“Like,” he repeated clumsily, his voice heavily accented.

Smiling, he ruffled the scruffy, brown hair on Jesse’s head. “Yes. Like.”

His eyes slid back to the screen to watch intently.

Ruffling Jesse’s hair one final time, Jack stood and made his way to his room. He knew he had an English to Spanish dictionary somewhere. It was something he had bought toward the beginning of his friendship with Gabriel, saying that he would put effort into learning the language. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something he ended up doing, only picking up on several phrases over the years.

He flipped through the dictionary, pausing at the sections that explained certain parts of Spanish grammar, but he was completely lost.

He kept trying to struggle with it until the sounds of Jesse enjoying the movie had faded to  the faint dialogue and he was thoroughly confused.

Quickly, he rushed out of the room, to check to see if he was okay. Instead of the worst, which Jack had resigned himself to finding, Jesse had just fallen asleep on the couch, curled up on his side.

Relief overcame him and he sighed softly, smiling as he went to retrieve a blanket to drape over Jesse gently. “Sleep tight, Jesse.”

Still grasping the book, he gave Jesse one final look before he headed out once more, locking the door behind him.

Reyes’ door was unlocked when he reached it.

He cautiously opened it. “Gabe?”

“What?” the other responded, looking up from the papers he had been working on.

“Am I interrupting anything?”

“It can wait. What’s up?”

He approached the man, placing his English to Spanish dictionary down on his desk. “I don’t know where to start.”

“So you want help?”

He nodded.

The papers were deposited into one of the desk’s drawers. “Okay.”

Noticing that the chair he had earlier been sitting on had been moved to the side of the room, Jack grabbed it and put it back in front of Gabriel’s desk, plopping down on it. “I don’t know how this is going to go.”

“We’ll start with the basics and move up. And things we already know the kid says a lot. Important stuff first.”

He nodded. “I think I remember what some of the things he has said are? But I could also be very wrong and end up completely butchering the language even more.”

“I expect you to.”

He huffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Why do I put up with this?”

“Because you love me.”  

Immediately he felt embarrassment by his statement, believing for a moment that Gabriel had caught on, but soon, he noticed the look on the other man’s face and forced himself to relax, rolling his eyes. “Of course.”

“You know nothing about the language, you’re not going to get it right on the first try. How’d the kid take it when you told him he’s staying?”

“He gave me a huge grin and hugged me. I think he took the news positively.” He chuckled.

“He’s going to fit in,” Gabriel said, leaning his chair back. “Once he learns English.”

“Oh that reminds me. He’s seemed to have picked up on some English already.”

He raised a brow. “How much?”

“He was able to communicate that he likes cowboys.”

Gabriel started to laugh.

“Jesse’s going to have quite the personality.”

“That’s putting it lightly. Cowboys. Damn.”

“I’m not going to worry too much about that. There’s worse things the kid could become interested in. Besides, he’s probably going to grow out of it or become disinterested in them relatively soon.”

“You can believe that, _cariño_.”

He rolled his eyes. “Come on, we’ve all had things we’ve really liked when we were younger that we grew out of. Don’t even try to tell me you didn’t.”

“I liked the grim reaper,” he replied flatly.

Jack couldn’t help snorting loudly. “I can’t believe it! The grim reaper!” he wheezed out between laughter.

Dark eyes were rolled. “Let me guess, you liked a superhero. Wanted to be one.”

“That’s not really a wild guess. Lots of kids wanted to be superheroes and liked them,” he said dryly.

“Your boy just happens to like _cowboys_.”

He placed his head in his hands. “I can’t believe that’s the thing he decided to latch on to. Of all things.”

“You picked the movie.”

“It was either that or the news.”

He snorted.

It was then that the door slammed open, Ana walking in with paperwork in her arms. As soon as she noticed that Jack was also in the office, she raised an eyebrow. “Am I interrupting anything here, boys?”

Gabriel sat up. “No.”

“Uh huh.” She placed the paperwork down in front of Gabriel. “Here’s the forms you’ve been nagging me about. It’s not like I have a small child to look after or anything, as well as working full time in a military organisation.”

He rolled his eyes. “Jack joined your ranks.”

Both of her eyebrows raised. “Did he now?” She moved a pile of finished paperwork to the side, sitting down where it had been.

“He’s keeping the orphan.”

Immediately, her gaze went to Jack, who appeared as if he were trying to disappear into his chair. His hands balled up into the fabric of his pants.

“You’ve chosen to adopt him?” Ana asked.

He nodded. “I couldn’t let him get dumped into the foster system.”

“Are you prepared for the responsibility of caring for a young child? Especially one who cannot speak the same language as you?”

Again, he nodded. “I’m willing to put the time into actually learning Spanish this time around. I know it’s not going to be easy, but, I’m willing to make sacrifices to keep him safe and healthy. I’m a dad now, I have to.”

Her stern expression softened into something warm. “Then you’ll do a wonderful job.”

The nervous look that had appeared on his face during the course of Ana’s questioning finally disappeared, replaced with a softer one. He looked to Ana. “I better not give you a reason to think otherwise, then.”

“Take care of him. That boy has seen too much for a child so young.”

“Amari,” Gabriel spoke up, a smirk in his voice. “Guess what he’s hooked on.?”

Jack covered his face with his hands. “No, don’t tell her. She’ll just enable him.”

“ _Cowboys_.”

She spluttered, and slapped her knee in laughter. “Holy _shit_.”

Gabriel laughed. “Showed the kid old westerns.”

Now Jack was trying his best to disappear under the desk, sliding slowly down the chair as discreetly as possible. He’d never hear the end of this from Ana.

“I’m picturing him with that accent as he grows up,” Gabriel teased, grinning at him.

“It could be much worse,” Ana reminded with a smile. “At least the cowboy motif is a cute one. Jack, you should get him a cowboy hat.”

Letting out a long suffering sigh, he returned to his seat and shot Gabriel a glare. “Yeah he could be really into the grim reaper. And Ana, are you sure he’d like a cowboy hat?”

The man behind the desk grumbled but was cut off by Ana saying, “I think he would. It will let him match the people he sees on the screen.”

Jack hummed. “He wants to fit in. Thanks, Ana, I think I might just do that.”

“He will cherish it, you know. It’s the first gift you’ve given him.”

“Besides, you know, a family,” Gabriel grunted and she rolled her eyes.

“A physical one.”

“Wow, Gabe, I didn’t think you were the sentimental type.” With relief, Jack finally stood up from the chair, some of his body had gone numb while he had been conversing with his friends. After stretching and saying his goodbyes, he left his friends to their devices, thinking about where in the world he would find a cowboy hat to give to Jesse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thank you all so much for all of the wonderful comments and kudos you have given us, we are both extremely grateful and it makes us so excited to update and give you more. 
> 
> Timeless Tragedy and I have too much fun writing the banter between Jack and Gabriel. It could go on forever if we let it. But we have places to go with this fic, so their bantering is limited. 
> 
> Also, buckle up folks, this fic is going to be a long long ride. 
> 
> Have a good week, all! 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com)


	4. Chapter 4

It was already strange, being away from Jesse for more than a few hours. A mission had taken them through Mexico, and his son had stayed behind with Reinhardt and a few of the others while he, Ana, and Gabriel dealt with an omnic threat. It was an easy mission that had taken a couple days. However, by the end of it, he was ready to get back to the base and check on the boy.

He’d headed back to their quarters as soon as they’d returned, but to his surprise he found no one inside, the room silent and cold.

Panic flashed through him. He had told Reinhardt to let him know if he was taking Jesse anywhere, either by text or placing a note somewhere he could easily see. A quick search around his room resulted in nothing, the coldness of the room telling him no one had been there for a couple hours.

He began hyperventilating, leaning against the wall and sliding down to the floor slowly.

The base was a secure, safe place. Few knew of its location, and fewer still would have been able to gain access to it without tripping alarms or alerting someone to their presence. Even fewer would be able to get past someone like Reinhardt, who had volunteered to take care of Jesse while he was away, especially since the boy rarely left the room without Jack, Gabriel, or Ana.

There was no way on heaven or earth that anything could have happened to him. He was as safe as could be.

With that, he took a deep breath, held it, and released it again. Once his breathing was under control, he stood up.

Now that he was a father, he seemed to panic more easily than he thought he would with situations involving Jesse. He guessed it was an aspect of parenthood he had never truly understood. He’d have to ask Ana about it next time he saw her.

Checking all the rooms in his suite to see if he had overlooked anything - maybe the two of them had decided to play hide and seek - he left, thinking about which locations where they would most likely be found.

It was the squeal that had him running, the distressed sound of a child.

His boots squeaked against the clean floors as he raced to where the sound came from. Throwing the double doors open, all eyes of the people who were in the common area turned to him. A few had frozen where they stood, moving toward the source of the sound.

Reinhardt stepped back from the couch, and the action had Jesse bolting to the door to Jack, small hands immediately catching the fabric of his pants. The boy trembled against him, crying.

Swiftly, Jack lifted Jesse, bringing him to his chest, the boy’s hands now clinging to his shirt, a wet patch forming from his tears.

“What’s wrong, Jesse?”

He barely peeked out from the safety of his father’s arms, looking to Reinhardt before flinching back to bury his face again.

Noticing the boy’s glance, Jack snapped brought his gaze to Reinhardt’s.

“What did you do?”

The man gave a huff, looking horrified. “I did nothing!”

His booming voice made Jesse whimper.

Jack shot him a disbelieving look. “It doesn’t look like nothing.”

“I was merely speaking to him!”

“He wouldn’t be crying if you were just speaking to him, Reinhardt!”

He gave a small, almost helpless shrug. “It was just a story, children love stories!”

An unimpressed look painted Jack’s features. “Not all stories are good for children. Especially not one who has recently been through a traumatic experience!” He brought his hand to Jesse’s hair, stroking it in an attempt to soothe the boy who’s crying had tapered off to choked sobs.

“It wasn’t scary!” 

“You are too loud,” Ana said sharply as she stepped into the room behind Jack. “Your voice carries. The child cannot understand what you’re saying, you startled him with how loud you are, regardless of how innocent your story may have been.” 

Jack nodded, glad to have Ana by his side. “Just… please be more careful next time, Reinhardt.” 

Appearing almost broken hearted, the man looked away and nodded. “Tell him… I am sorry.”

“You can tell him yourself. Sorry is  _ lo siento. _ I’m sure it would mean more to him if you said it, no matter how much you butchered it, than if it came from my mouth.” 

Ana caught Jack’s eye. 

Reinhardt stepped forward, crouching to put himself at eye level with the child and offered him a smile when Jesse managed to look up at him. 

_ “Lo siento _ ,” he said, his accent distorting the words. 

Sniffling and wiping his nose on his sleeve, Jesse turned around, watery brown eyes meeting mismatched eyes. The smile on the older man only got wider. 

Hesitantly, Jesse wrapped his thin arms around the large man’s neck, Jack loosening his grip on him, allowing Reinhardt to now take hold of the child. 

Jesse sniffled.“It’s okay.” 

Reinhardt smiled, gently bouncing him. 

Watching the two back on friendly terms again made Jack smile fondly. The large man let him know he would be taking his son out for a piggy back around base, and Jack agreed. He still had a lot left to do since he  _ had _ just returned from a long mission. He’d also have to think about getting Reinhardt some sort of thank you gift. 

Maybe some good beer would work...

He still needed to get Jesse that hat.

Ana caught his eye. “You have something on your mind.”

“Where do you even get a cowboy hat these days?” he blurted out. 

She smiled at him, a twinkle in her eyes. “Have you tried the west?” 

“I don’t want to get him some cheap tourist’s souvenir.”

“I know a place.”

Jack furrowed his brows. “And why do  _ you _ know of a place to get cowboy hats?” 

“I may have looked into it for you.”

“Ana, you’re too good.” Jack brought her in for a hug. She laughed warmly and  patted his back. 

“I’ll take you to get one for him, specially made.”

“Thank you, Ana. I honestly mean it. This will mean so much to Jesse, I know it.” 

“As will you. Should we ask Reyes to join us?” 

Jack nodded. “He’d appreciate getting a break from the paperwork he’s been piled with.” 

The knowing twinkle returned to her eye and she walked past him for the door. “Ask him to accompany us, then come find me in my room. I have missed Fareeha.”

He didn’t tease her this time for missing Fareeha while they had been on a mission now that he knew exactly how she felt. They understood that they might not come back alive, which made them fight harder to stay amongst the living. Jack had only known Jesse for roughly one month, and had already come to love him as if he had raised him since he had been a baby. 

He smiled at her back softly before shaking his head and making his way back to Reyes’ office. He knocked. Then opened the door without waiting for a response. 

Gabriel looked up from the paperwork scattered all around his desk, eyes wide as if he were a deer caught in the headlights, his ever-present beanie missing and the short strands of his hair spiked up as much as it could possibly be. 

Placing his pen neatly in front of him, taking in who now stood in the doorway. “What do you want, Morrison?” 

He eyed the pen with a smile. “Ana and I are going out, we thought you’d like an excuse to get away from the paperwork. She sent me to ask. What do you say?”

“Fuck,  _ yes. _ ” Gabriel grabbed his beanie from an unknown location, placing it on his head, hiding any hair that was to be seen. After a brief glance over his desk, he grabbed a garishly coloured sticky note and placed it on one of the documents. 

“Ana’s waiting,” the blond said, stepping out into the hall. “I guess we were right about thinking you needed a break.” 

Gabriel snorted. “If you take any advice from me let it be this: never become a commanding officer. Too much paperwork, it’s not worth it.” 

He smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind.” 

The door clicked shut, locking automatically. Gabriel checked it once and nodded to himself. “Well, where are you taking me?”

“Ana’s room. After that I don’t know, she didn’t tell me.” 

All he got was a grunt in acknowledgement. 

He let his gaze linger on Gabriel for a moment before starting to walk. 

Most of the trek to Ana’s quarters was made in silence, the two men quickly falling in step with each other. There wasn’t a need to fill every moment with words between them, it wasn’t necessary after years of close friendship. Both were content to enjoy the other’s company and presence. 

It was Gabriel who knocked, pounding and loud, to draw Ana out. 

After waiting a moment, the door was opened to show Ana carrying her two year old daughter in her arms. She gave a smile to the two men waiting. 

“Are you boys ready?”

“We are now,” Gabriel answered. “So where are we going?” 

She placed Fareeha on her hip. “I know of a shop that’s known for custom making novelty clothing items.” 

“How’d you find a place like that?” 

Her eyes sparkled. “A woman has her ways.”

Jack and Gabriel exchanged a glance. 

“Now stop standing in my doorway and let’s go.” 

They rushed out of her way. 

 

* * *

 

Tacky was the first word that came to mind when Jack got his first good look at the items the store had to offer. Sure, the items were made with materials of a higher quality, but some of the wares on display looked too embarrassing to ever be worn in public. 

Gabriel made sure to point that out to him, picking up a wide brimmed floppy hat that he put on Jack’s head.

“Suits you,” he teased.

Jack frowned, immediately removing the offending item off of his head and tried to fluff up his hair again. “No it doesn’t.”

Gabriel started to laugh, grinning at him widely. “Wish I got a picture of the look on your face!”

His facial expression quickly melted away to something fond as soon as he heard Gabriel start laughing. A rare treat. He rarely laughed on a good day. 

Dark eyes light with mirth, a paw of a hand clapped around his companion’s shoulder, Gabriel led him to where Ana was speaking with a man behind the counter. 

“An authentic cowboy hat?” He heard the man say, leaning on the counter.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m sure if anyone could make one, it’s you,” she said warmly, bouncing her daughter lightly on her hip.

He nodded. “You got that right. Best hat maker in the city, hell, the world, if I do say so myself.”

She laughed, smiling. “I’m inclined to agree. A cowboy hat shouldn’t be too hard, yes?”

The man hummed. “It shouldn’t be. What size do you need it to be? Is it for one of the two men who came in with you?”

“No no, it’s for their young son.”

Walking to stand beside Ana, Jack spluttered, but decided to not get into it. Yes, Jesse was his son, but he wasn’t too sure how Gabriel would take to the boy also becoming his child as well. Much to his surprise, the darker man didn’t say a word.

“Yeah. He’s going through a big cowboy phase.” The blond added.

“If you make it for an adult, he can grow into it,” Ana said, looking back to the hat maker. 

“A wise decision.” 

The man behind the counter jotted down a couple notes. “Any specific design in mind?”

“I want it to have some uniqueness to it, so people will know it’s his.”

He hummed briefly and did a quick sketch before turning it so Jack could see it. “Something like this?” 

Looking it over, Jack hummed. He gestured for the man to hand him the paper and the pencil, quickly adding something to the hat. “There. I think this is perfect!” 

Gabriel looked over his shoulder at the sheet, taking in the wide brimmed hat complete with a band around it that had the Overwatch badge on the front with a snort. “It’s tacky.”

“Tacky can be cute. And it’s not as tacky as, let’s say, adding an owl skull.” Jack shot Gabriel a look. 

The other man snatched the pencil, drawing out a creepy looking owl faced mask.

Jack glared at him. “Don’t add that to the hat.” 

“You should. I bet Jesse’d  _ love it. _ ”

“That would make the hat look god awful.”

“Nothing could make a cowboy hat worse. It’s already a cowboy hat.”

Jack scoffed. “Well. Let Jesse have his fun, then you can complain all you want about how awful a cowboy hat is.” 

“What if he happens to ‘lose’ it one day?” 

“Reyes.” Jack’s voice dropped. “If you do anything to that hat you won’t live to see another day. And I’ll make sure you’ll also never get to meet the grim reaper either.” 

Dark eyes widened; Ana had to bite back a laugh as she snatched the paper from Jack and handed it to the hat maker. 

“We’ll take this,” she told him. “Without the owl.”

Having heard their entire exchange, the man tried his best not to laugh as he accepted the paper. “It can be done. I’ll give you a call once the hat is complete.”

“Thank you. I look forward to seeing your work.” She turned on her heel for the door. “Come, boys.”

With a nod, the two men obediently followed after her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you all so much for the comments and kudos <3 Don't worry about our schedule getting weird because as of right now we have 3 buffer chapters so we should be good for a while O: Just wanted to keep you updated on that. 
> 
> See ya next week!


	5. Chapter 5

It was too early to be awake for a child of seven. He rubbed at his eyes unhappily as he followed Gabriel through the busy hallway. The base was already awake and teeming with energy, people brushing past them talking amongst themselves. He stuck close to his current guardian’s heels to avoid getting bowled over by accident.

The man took him to one of the rooms he hadn’t seen before, one set up with blocky looking robots that hovered and hummed quietly at the ends of lanes marked by lights. They focused on him as he was led to the far end of the room where a large black mat awaited them.

Flinching at the sight of them, he decided to use the large man as a buffer between himself and the robots, not quite trusting them. Not after -

He sniffled, aggressively wiping at his dripping nose, not wanting to remember the horror that was still fresh in his mind. Enough time had passed since then that he thought maybe he would be okay, he wouldn’t be crying as much. But it still stung.

“ _On the mat_ ,” Gabriel told him.

Jesse warily eyed the robots, clinging on to Gabriel’s leg, ignoring his command. He whimpered as he was pushed forward to the edge of the mat. He stepped onto it slowly, feeling himself starting to tremble as he was forced to look up at the man, not the robots.

“ _Keep your eyes on me. Ignore the training bots. They won’t hurt you._ ”

The edges of his vision were blurring with tears, but he managed to keep his eyes on Gabriel. He chewed his bottom lip.

The man gave him a quick nod, the only indication that he knew Jesse was having a difficult time with being around the robots.

“ _Do you know anything about hand to hand combat?_ ”

He shook his head slowly.

Gabriel grunted. “ _A_ _lright. It’s important that you learn how to defend yourself. Especially in close quarters where most weapons we use now are useless. There are a lot of forms of fighting, but right now I’m going to get you started on a form where you don’t need much physical strength_ ,” he explained, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

He looked up at the big man without understanding, large brown eyes wide.

Tapping his fingers on his arm, Gabriel frowned. He’d have to take another approach to this conversation.

_“I’m going to teach you how to use your enemy’s strength against them.”_

_“Oh.”_

Gabriel nodded. “ _Okay, son, mimic how I’m standing.”_ He shifted his right foot slightly in front of him, and moved his left back, giving himself a better centre of gravity. He glanced at Jesse to check if the boy had understood. Slowly he mimicked how Gabriel’s feet were posed.  As soon as Jesse’s feet were in position, Gabriel moved his hands in front of him.The right slightly higher and further out than the left.

_“Keep your hands loose. Don’t ball them into a fist. Don’t keep them straight.”_

Clumsily, he slid his left foot back too far, his balance off.

Gabriel’s hand quickly shot out to grab onto Jesse before he could fall down. He waited until the boy regained his balance before he let go of him, confident he wouldn’t fall.

_“Don’t spread your legs out as far as mine. I’m taller than you, so my legs are longer.”_

He moved his right foot forward as directed, trying to mirror his stance. It didn’t feel right.

Noticing the look on Jesse’s face, Gabriel frowned. The hesitant footing told him everything. With a sigh he moved to the boy’s side, pushing small feet into the proper position for him.

Jesse trembled.

Huffing out a sigh, Gabriel’s expression softened from the near permanent glare Jack liked to tease him about having. He approached the boy, and kneeled in front of him, placing a large hand on a small shoulder.

“ _It’s okay if this takes time. Not everyone is naturally made to fight like this._ ”

The boy nodded hesitantly, looking up at him.

Giving Jesse a soft smile and a nod, Gabriel returned to his earlier position. “ _Let’s try that again, boy.”_

_“Do I have to?”_

Gabriel nodded. “ _You need to have at least some knowledge in how to do this.”_

Jesse’s eyes slid back to the robots.

Noticing the boy’s line of sight, Gabriel sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of the nose, and thinking about what could be done about this. Evidently the robots were causing Jesse discomfort to be around, but the training room was the best place for this, having everything one could possibly need, including first aid.

_“Focus on me_ ,” he said more firmly, putting himself between the robots and Jesse again to block them from his line of sight. He watched as the boy attempted to move his gaze from the robots back on him, but the child was failing in that endeavor.

He could either try to get the boy to push through his fear of robots - it couldn’t last forever, it would get in the way - or they would have to change locations.

After a moment or two more of seeing the poor boy squirm, he sighed and motioned for Jesse to come to him.

Wearily eyeing the bots once more, he moved closer to the man. Gabriel knelt before him, his back turned to him.

_“Get on_.”

Confused, Jesse stayed put.

“ _Now, boy_.”

Hesitantly, he climbed on his back, wrapping his arms around a strong neck, burying his face into the dark grey hoodie the man always seemed to be wearing.

Gabriel stood, careful not to jostle the boy as he started to walk, taking them quickly past the training bots. He felt Jesse clench his hands in the fabric, possibly to the point where his hands were in pain, but the child didn’t let up. It seemed as if he wanted to become a part of Gabriel so he wouldn’t have to deal with the robots at all.

He made a mental note not to bring Jesse anywhere near the training range again, at least not without Jack there to comfort the boy.

He took them out onto the tarmac, finding a place in the shade where they could give training another shot. He set Jesse down on the grass just beyond the edge of the pavement.

“ _Okay. Now do you remember how I held myself when we were in the range?”_

Jesse put his right foot ahead of his left, looking up at his instructor, who gave him a sharp nod in return. He smiled in pride, bouncing a little where he stood.

_“Very good.”_ The man made his way over to Jesse, slightly correcting his posture, but overall pleased that he had seemed to finally understand how he should be standing.

They trained for a few hours, until Jesse was tired enough that he simply sat down instead of following the instruction he’d been given last, stretching out on his back in the grass and looking up at the sky.

Despite the huff Gabriel released, he had a small smile on his face. He couldn’t blame Jack for getting so attached to this kid. He was cute, he’d admit to himself, but if anyone else would have asked him he’d deny ever thinking that to begin with.

Honestly, he could have made Jesse train for longer, but he could tell he wasn’t used to this sort of activity. The boy’s breathing smoothed out from the short pants he had been letting out earlier, eyes drooping as he stared up at the clouds, dark brown eyes most likely imagining them as animals or something equally as innocent. Not wanting to disturb him from his rest, Gabriel joined him on the soft grass.

A small hand brushed his.

“ _Want to hold my hand, boy?”_

_“Yes_ ,” was the meek reply.

Dark eyes rolled in annoyance, but he complied. His large hand wrapping against Jesse’s small one, dwarfing it. His thin hand was cold, which made Gabriel frown. He would have to talk to Jack about that.

He was distracted when the boy shuffled over to rest his head on the man’s shoulder.

Almost as if his body was moving of its own accord, he reached his arm up to stroke Jesse’s hair, something he had seen Jack do plenty of times before to either soothe the child, or even to soothe the man’s own worries. He could understand why Jack did it. The boy’s hair was soft, and feeling someone card their fingers through one’s hair was a good one.

Before long, Jesse was asleep.

Not wanting the child to catch a cold by lying on cool grass, Gabriel picked him up again, this time trying his best to not disturb him and wake him from his peaceful slumber.

Carefully, he made his way back to his quarters, avoiding as many various agents as he possibly could, knowing that once someone caught sight of Commander Reyes, he would be cornered into an interview.

As soon as he’d unlocked the door and slipped inside, he set Jesse down on the bed, tucking him in before moving to his desk. He pulled out a few of the neglected reports and set to work.

 

* * *

 

His boots left behind a trail of mud as he trudged his feet inside the base. Too exhausted to care, Jack mindlessly meandered his way toward Gabriel’s quarters. Instead of knocking on the door with a fist, he leaned against it, letting his head thunk loudly against the metal of the door.

It slid open.

Not expecting it to open so suddenly, he stumbled forward, almost falling down before he finally regained his balance. Gabe watched him with a raised brow.

All Jack could do was blink owlishly at him, his brain moving too slow to really process anything in front of him.

“Coffee? Or a stiff drink?” Gabe asked.

He grunted something that vaguely resembled the word ‘coffee’. If Gabriel hadn’t have known Jack for as long as he had, then he would have been at a loss at what the sound could have meant.

As Gabriel made his way to the coffee maker, Jack was able to hear the quiet murmur of a movie playing on low.

“What’s playing?” he asked as he sat down at the small table in the middle of the room, struggling to keep his eyes open as he watched Gabe move to and fro, gathering supplies for the coffee.

“One of Jesse’s movies, never bothered finding out what it’s called. They’re all the same to me.”

Jack hummed in acknowledgement. His head now resting on the table. He jolted when a cup clicked as it was set down.

Pale hands reached out for the cup of the blessed liquid, Jack dragging it closer to his head, enjoying the warmth it emitted into his sore hands. “I hope Jesse wasn’t too much trouble?”

Gabriel’s eyes slid to the couch, a hint of a smile lifting the corner of his mouth. “Nah.”

A tired smile made its way onto Jack’s face. “I’m glad.”

“How’d the mission go?” the other man asked, leaning on the counter.

“Standard recon. Nothing too interesting. It rained, and there was a lot of mud. I think the janitors hate me now.”

He snorted.

“There’s a trail of mud now leading to your quarters. Sorry about that.”

“I don’t care, I don’t have to clean it up.”

Jack snorted, finishing off the last of his coffee, not caring about the slight sting of his tongue from how fast he drank the caffeine rich liquid. After quickly washing the mug and returning it to the cupboard Gabriel had retrieved it from, he made his way over to the couch, happy to finally see his son after a tiring couple of days.

Jesse dozed on the couch, snoring lightly.

A small smile painted Jack’s face. Careful not to disturb the boy, he sat down as gently as he could beside him, letting him have his sleep. The knot that he didn’t know he had in his stomach relaxed now that he had the knowledge his son was safe.

“He needs training,” Gabriel said.

“He’s only seven, Gabriel.” He stroked Jesse’s hair, eyes closed.

“We’re in a war zone, kid. You can’t coddle him.”

Jack sighed. “I know. But, I want him to still have a childhood.”

Gabriel waved a hand at the screen. “He’s got one.”

His teeth dug into his lips, gnawing slightly. He wanted Jesse to be able to protect himself, not wanting him to befall the same fate as many others during the Crisis, but he also didn’t want Jesse to feel obligated to join the ranks like everyone he’s surrounded by. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle losing the boy if anything did happen to him.

Jesse shifted in his sleep. Jack smiled down at him, pulling the blanket down from the back of the couch and draping it over his body, tucking him in beside himself.

Gabriel moved to sit near the couch.

Sighing, Jack whispered, “I don’t know what to do.”

“I’ll work with him.”

Jack nodded, chewing on his lip some more. “I guess I’ll let him train with you for a bit and see how it goes?”

“Good idea.”

Giving Gabriel a quick nod, he curled up beside his son, finally letting himself relax completely and drift off into the first peaceful slumber he had in over a week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EARLY UPDATE!!!! O: O: O: but that's because it's Thanksgiving weekend up here in Canada so we're going to be busy on our normal update day. 
> 
> Fun fact: Gabriel was trying to teach Jesse aikido which is basically using your opponent's strength and momentum against them. It's a martial art that you don't need to be physically strong to be able to do, and it's great to learn for self defense purposes since you learn how to disarm several weapons or to avoid someone coming at you with a fist or a knife while tossing them to the ground.
> 
> Again, thanks so much for the comments and kudos! You really brighten our day and make us hyped to post!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations in end notes.

He got the call on a day off that the hat was ready. Truthfully, he was grateful for it; Jesse was out training with Gabriel, leaving him the first afternoon to himself in a while. Since he had gotten used to the chaos of his schedule, as well as being a parent, he didn’t know what to do with his free time.

Ana was with Fareeha, enjoying a quiet afternoon with her; Reinhardt, Torbjörn, and Liao went out drinking, so he couldn’t visit any of them. Picking up the hat gave him the perfect opportunity to get out of his quarters and do something with himself instead of wallowing.

He found Gabriel working with Jesse outside and let them know he was going out before leaving.

The store was fairly empty when he arrived, the odd person here or there admiring the hats hanging on the racks. The hat maker grinned and beckoned him over.

With a quick smile in greeting, Jack approached the man.

“Here it is,” he said, lifting the box out from beneath the counter.

Gently, Jack opened the box revealing a cowboy hat within. It was just how he imagined it would be, right down to the symbol on the badge at the front. He lifted it, testing its weight within his hands.

The material it was made out of was of a good quality; his was a hat made to last.

Jack smiled. “It’s perfect.”

“Good, I’m glad it’s to your liking.”

Another smile was shot at the hat maker. Jack paid for the hat, returning it carefully to the box. He thanked the man, before leaving, making one more stop before heading back to his quarters.

After a bit of preparation, he was ready to leave the base. He called Gabriel, asking him to bring Jesse back to his chambers.

Several minutes passed before the door slid open and Jesse’s quick footsteps could be heard as he ran into the room, shouting “papa” happily, wrapping his arms around the blond in a tight hug as soon as he could reach him.

“ _Hola, mijo.”_ Jack lifted Jesse up into his arms once the boy’s grip had loosened from around his legs, holding him against his chest.

Gabriel looked at the two of them with a smile, proud of the small display of Spanish, not as horribly accented as it used to be, but not perfect either.

“What is?” Jesse asked, pointing at the wrapped package on the bed. Its paper glittered.

“ _S_ _orpresa._ ”

His eyes lit up.

With a smile, Jack brought Jesse over to the bed, placing him down gently, and handing the box to him. “Go on.”

He hesitated only briefly, running his hand over the fancy paper, before tearing at it. A few attempts later and he was pulling the lid off. His eyes went wide.

Jack carefully lifted up the hat, placing it on top of his son’s head. Small hands clutched the brim, pushing it up so he could see. His face was bright with delight.

" _Thank you_!” he squealed.

The pure joy in Jesse’s eyes melted his heart. He never wanted this boy to be sad, so long as he had anything to do with it.

His son climbed down, shifting into the stance he’d seen men take in the old movies he loved, butchering one of the lines from his favourite with a wide grin. He peeked out from under the too big hat, pointing finger guns at his dad.

Jack laughed at his antics, enjoying the rare moments when Jesse came out of the shell he  built around himself. He glanced to the door to see Gabriel leaning against the frame, arms crossed, smiling at the two.

“Think he likes it,” Gabriel said softly.

“I think so too. He’s so happy!”

Jesse bounded over to the man in the doorway, showing off his hat before pretending to shoot him.

A dark hand clutched at his chest, pretending to be injured. He staggered to his knees, slowly falling face first onto the ground with a loud, exaggerated exhale.

Jesse giggled and turned to face Jack, his fists on his hips. His hat slid down over his eyes.

“The town wasn’t big enough for the both of you, hmm?”

He giggled again. “No!”

“Come on, fastest shooter in the west, time for dinner now.” He pushed up the hat from Jesse’s eyes, smiling at the boy who was grinning in return. “Think a dead body can join us?”

Gabriel cracked an eye open.

Jack chuckled. “Oh no! He’s come back to life!”

He lunged at the same time that Jesse squeaked, scrambling to his father’s side, the hat tumbling off.

“We actually need to eat. Now, before the food gets cold.”

Gabriel rolled to his feet, grabbing the hat as he did to set it back on the kid’s head. “After you, Morrison.”

“You know the layout of my quarters well enough, you don’t need me to lead you.” Jack passed the man, lightly smacking him on the arm. He got a snort before footsteps followed him.

Despite now having someone else to look after, Jack had refrained from moving to a larger living quarter to easily accommodate the two. A small room with a bed, attached to a larger room that held a couch, tv, and kitchen was all the space had. Sure, it got cramped at times, now that there was a child living there, but he didn’t want to go through all the steps into moving to another one.

He also wasn’t sure how Jesse would take suddenly moving from a place he had made himself feel at home at. He didn’t want to risk upsetting him, so he made due with what he had.

Besides, it was cozy.

Jesse claimed a seat first, hanging his hat on the back of it, Jack sitting next to him. He started to put food on the boy’s plate, always putting a bit more than he knew he would end up eating, in hopes that he would start gaining the weight he should have at his current age.

The boy looked discontent.

“Why the face?”

He poked at the food with a fork.

Jack felt pang of disappointment at the food he had spent a good hour cooking being refused, but he hid it. “Do you want something else?”

Gabriel said something in quick Spanish, and it had the boy sighing before accepting the food, picking at it.

However, the display had put a damper on the light, happy mood that was there before.

A few minutes passed in silence, the adults eating mechanically. Jesse chewed his lip and stared at his plate before reaching back for the hat. He then set it gingerly on his father’s head, watching him with nervous eyes, his lip still caught between his teeth.

Jack paused, placing the forkful of food back down on his plate, looking at Jesse. Slowly, he brought his hand up to the hat, a little smile on his face.

“This isn’t mine.”

The tension bled from Jesse’s shoulder, his expression softening. The corners of his mouth lifted.

Jack ruffled the boy’s hair, brown locks flying in every direction after having been flattened by the hat. It made him giggle.

“C’mon, _come un poco más._ ” About a quarter of the food that was put on Jesse’s plate had been eaten at this point, but it wasn’t enough to make Jack feel comfortable. He didn’t want the boy to be hungry later on in the evening and bother him for the chocolate Jack had stashed away.

The boy whined but picked up his fork again. “ _Sí, Papa…_ ”

After a few more bites, Jesse slid his chair back and pushed away from the table.

Slowly, the boy shuffled toward Jack’s bedroom, closing the door lightly behind him. Jack looked on, worried, but hesitated in his chair. He wanted to see if Jesse was okay, but he didn’t want to become overbearing either.

“He had a nightmare last night,” the darker man said, resting his chin on his palm.

Jack raised his eyebrows, a worried crease forming between them. “Was it bad?”

He nodded.

“How bad?”

“Woke up screaming like a banshee and cried for an hour. Couldn’t get him to go back to sleep after that at all. I think the movie he had on turned off or something, room was quiet when I got him to calm down.”

Jack could feel his heart break. No child should be having a nightmare like that. It wasn’t something he should have to deal with, not until much later on in his life - or hopefully never. But it seemed as if the experience he had gone through before he found himself in their care had caught up.

“Did he tell you what the dream was about?”

“Home.”

Sighing heavily, Jack placed his head in his hands. “This was bound to happen eventually.”

“I read your report; kid saw a lot of bloodshed that day. He’s gonna remember that,” Gabriel said, leaning back. His chair creaked. He waited a moment before continuing. “We can have someone talk to him, ‘bout what he saw. See if they can help him.”

He laughed weakly. “We’re on the same page with that one.”

Gabriel reached over to set a heavy hand on his shoulder. “This could’ve been a lot worse, _cariño._ He’s got nightmares, but he’s talking, he’s eating. He’s got you looking after him.”

Taking comfort in the weight on his shoulder, Jack nodded, closing his eyes briefly, glad that Gabriel was here with him. “Thank you, Gabe.” He wasn’t sure what he was thanking the man for specifically, but he felt it needed to be said.

It got a smile from the other man.

With a bit of a sigh, Jack got to his feet, glancing toward his bedroom door.

“Let him be a kid,” Gabriel insisted firmly. “He’s just going to watch those damn movies anyway. Come outside with me, I want a smoke. He’ll be fine.”

He shot Gabriel an over exaggerated eyeroll, clearing the plates off of the table and dumping them in the sink with the other dishes left over from earlier that day.

“You know you should really stop smoking. Lung cancer ain’t pretty.”

He crossed his arms. “You worry about your kid, I’ll worry about my lungs.”

“Let me check on Jesse first. I think your smokes can hold off for a couple minutes.”

A quick check in the bedroom confirmed that the boy was still there. He was curled underneath the comforter, eyes peeking out and focussed on the television in front of him, the men on the screen loudly shouting at each other.

After getting Jesse’s attention by gently knocking on the door, Jack informed him that he would be going out with Gabriel for a little while and would be back shortly. The boy nodded in acknowledgement, attention still on the movie in front of him.

“Come on, my smokes can’t wait much longer.”

All that got Gabriel was a snort. “Lead the way.”

They headed outside, Jack being careful to check that the door was actually locked twice before leaving. Beyond a grumbled comment about him being overcautious, Gabriel didn’t give him trouble as they walked down the hall.

The only people that they passed were several scientists running around, not even noticing the two men. Soon enough, they reached a door labelled with a glowing red “EXIT”. Gabriel shoved Jack lightly toward it, both slipping out of the doorway as quietly as they could.

It felt like they were kids again, sneaking out after curfew. Jack watched as Gabriel lit his cigarette. The man took a drag, exhaling with a hum of delight.

“Do you know how fucking hard it is to keep from smoking around the kid?” he teased, watching Jack with dark glittering eyes.

Jack scrunched up his nose at the sharp smell.

“Probably no harder than not being allowed to smoke on a mission.” The blond nudged Gabriel’s shoulder with his own.

He laughed. “Only difference is he makes me crave one worse.”

Jack choked on his breath. “How can a kid be more stressful than twenty bastion units shooting at you at once?”

“Three words: puppy dog eyes.”

A snort. “Are you telling me that if I just went and painted puppy dog eyes on every rogue omnic you’d be stress smoking so much they wouldn’t even have to worry about the entire strike team anymore?”

“No one could pull them off like you and your kid.”

“My parents would probably argue with you on that one. They were impervious.”

“Didn’t pass down to you, now did it? All Jesse has to do is look at you and you’re bending over backwards for him.”

He scoffed. “I’d like to see you try to deny him something.”

“I have, tons of times.”

“Oh yeah? What have you denied him?”

Gabriel’s mind went visibly blank. He worked his jaw soundlessly for a moment before he took a drag from his cigarette and blew out the smoke almost right in Jack’s face.

Coughing, Jack scrunched up his nose at the acrid smell of cigarette smoke, attempting to wave the white cloud away from his face, back into Gabriel’s.

The man stepped closer to him, cigarette falling by their feet. A hand came up, almost touching his face but not, dark eyes soft in the dim light. His heart skipped a beat, rising to his throat as Gabriel leaned in-

-only to crash back down when Gabriel ducked his head and backpedaled a step, clearing his throat and trying to cover the sound with a cough.

“I’m going to Mexico,” he said in a rush, eyes anywhere but Jack’s face. “‘M taking Wilhelm. We’ll be gone for the weekend. I should go get ready.”

He took another step back. A second later, and he was sharply marching back inside before Jack could even say a word, leaving him speechless, mouth hanging open like a fish.

Huffing, Jack turned to face away from the base, accidentally stepping on the dimly burning cigarette on the ground. Noticing it under foot, he ground it, putting it out. That’s the last time he got his hopes up about anything involving his personal feelings.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hola, mijo." - Hello, son  
> "Sorpresa." - A surprise  
> "come un poco más" - Eat a bit more  
> "Sí, Papa" - Yes, dad.  
> "cariño" - sweetie
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone for reading, bookmarking, subscribing, commenting, and giving us kudos! It really means a lot to us O: 
> 
> Also, keep an eye out for a Halloween story we have planned to be posted in a couple weeks from this AU!


	7. Chapter 7

It was simple, they had one job to do. They were going to go in, search the place and find whatever information they could, and get out. It would only take an hour, he was sure of it. He could be in and out within an hour and be back on the transport to their base by the time night fell. It would be easy.

Except he wasn’t counting on finding the walls covered in photographs hanging in charmingly mismatched frames, or how it made him stop in his tracks with his heart in his throat.

What jumped out to him the most about the photographs was how happy everyone looked in them. Huge smiles on their faces, a hand always on someone else affectionately. It almost felt as if he was intruding on a moment just by looking at the captured moments in time that had been so proudly displayed.

Jack would want these.

Carefully he pulled down the first one, motioning with his other hand deeper into the room. “See what you can find, papers especially. Anything important about the kid and his family.”

“ _Ja!_ ” A booming voice answered him from further in the house. He heard the tell tale sound of metal clanging against metal, and could tell the large man was trying his hardest not to destroy anything in the house due to his large frame.

He waited for a minute before going back to his own task, sliding out each picture and setting aside each empty frame. He lost track of how long it took him, as he’d moved on to explore the rest of the house to find any other pictures or albums the homeowners had stashed away.

He was only pulled from his trance by a large hand landing on his shoulder, engulfing it.

“Reyes, I have found something from Jesse’s room!”

He blinked to clear his vision of ghosts of the past to focus on the other man. “ _Qué?_ ”

A red blanket was held up in front of him, looking almost like a scarf compared to Reinhardt’s size. It had an orange diamond pattern around the edges, and looked to be in relatively good condition, like it had been cherished.

“A blanket! It looks most loved.”

His eyes widened. “You said it’s Jesse’s?”

An enthusiastic nod was his answer.

He started to grin. “How happy do you think it’d make the kid to see it again?”

“Very! I know the importance of having something to hold on to from one’s old life!” A small gesture toward Reinhardt’s armour was the only explanation that was given to what he was referring to.

The grin stretched further. “We're bringing it back with us, you can give it to him.”

Mismatched eyes widened, no doubt remembering what had happened the last time he had been in the presence of the young boy. “Are you sure this would be wise? He is much more fond of you.”

“Perfect reason to have you do it. Show him you're not scary.” He reached up to pat the side of one of his thick arms.

His hand met rock hard muscle, a reminder to Gabriel about how terrifying the man beside him could seem to others, especially a child who barely went up to his own hip. He tried to rid himself of the thought with a faint smile.

Reinhardt shifted on his feet, redistributing his weight several times. “I will try.”

“Want a tip?”

A nod.

“Get down on his level and be quiet. Kid’ll warm up faster than you expect.”

Another nod, this time slower, in understanding.

“Try it when Jack’s around, or me and Ana. He’s still skittish.”

“He has not been here for long, I understand how he is still scared.”

“You can give Jack the pictures while you’re at it,” Gabriel continued, holding out the stack.

Reinhardt hesitated before accepting the images, holding them gently, not wanting to get any fingerprints smudged on or to crinkle the glossy paper. “Are you sure I’m the one who should be giving them to him?”

He waved it off, already moving toward the desk in the corner of the room. He started routing through the drawers, already forgetting the other man’s presence.

The large hand soon returned to his shoulder, bringing him back to the moment.

“Why not give Jack the photographs yourself?” Reinhardt repeated.

“Busy.”

A light eyebrow was raised at the answer, but Reinhardt didn’t press any further, knowing for a fact that he wasn’t, in fact, that busy to pass up any offer to go and see Jack.

The darker man made an exasperated noise in the back of his throat. “I just… don’t want to see him.”

“Did something happen? You two are very close I am positive if anything were to happen between you two it would swiftly be forgiven.”

“You can’t forgive the shit I pulled.”

Confusion flashed across Reinhardt’s features. “And what is that?”

Gabriel grunted.

“What did you do?” His voice became harder.

“I’m not talking about this. Hell will freeze over before I do.”

He received a glare. Reinhardt glaring was almost on the same level when it came to the rarity of “hell freezing over”. Despite how hard the man looked, he had soft edges and was overall a big teddy bear. Now when Gabriel looked at him, he just looked like a grizzly.

As much as he didn’t want to, he hesitated, working his jaw before sighing heavily and letting his shoulders fall. “I tried kissing him.”

The man in front of him visibly relaxed, shoulders loosening, face softened.

“That is all?”

Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck. “I panicked and ran and Jack looked like I’d kicked him.”

The silence of the room was broken by a boisterous laugh. “Do you know why he looked like a kicked puppy?”

He shrugged, anger rising. He turned away from Reinhardt. “Hell if I know.”

Despite his very obvious ire, Reinhardt refused to elaborate, distracting himself by folding the blanket still in his grasp. Gently, his large fingers trailed over the edges, making sure it looked perfect.  

Snarling half hearted insults in Spanish beneath his breath, Reyes finished his sweep of the room before stomping to the door. “We’re done.”

“Have you found all that you have come here in search of?”

He glanced back at the blanket and photographs being held by the gentle giant and responded, “It’s good enough.”

“We must not keep Jack waiting, now.” Reinhardt chuckled at what appeared to be his own joke.

It made Gabriel scowl but he kept walking, locking the door once they were both outside. He cast one last glance at the empty house, before going back to the transport, Reinhardt following behind, the clinking of his armour the only sound that accompanied them on their way out.

 

* * *

 

As soon as the transport landed back on base, Gabriel made a beeline to his quarters, as Reinhardt looked on, dejected. He obviously did not want to be in the presence of the German man any longer. The constant stream of questions Reinhardt had been asking him were clearly getting on his nerves, and it was only a matter of time before the two of them were grappling on the ground, Gabriel trying to choke him out.

It was worth it in Reinhardt’s opinion to at least attempt to get the other man to consider the possibility that he was missing something. Whether or not it worked well… he’d just have to wait and see.

He made his own way toward the quarters of one of their comrades, knocking on Jack’s door.

After waiting patiently for several moments, he was greeted with the sight of a disgruntled looking blond whose hair spiked in every direction. A steaming cup of coffee was held in his hands.

“Oh! Reinhardt, you’re back already?”

“We had great success! We found things for you and for Jesse!”

A soft smile. “I’m sure Jesse will be happy with whatever you found. And something for me? I don’t see how you could have found something for me in Jesse’s old home.”

He held out the stack of photographs, safely tucked in a plastic bag they’d found in one of the kitchen drawers.

Jack gestured for the man to enter, placing his coffee gently on the table, and accepted the little bag that was still being offered to him. Carefully, he opened it, pulling out the pictures one by one, a soft smile forming on his tired face.

“Reyes thought you would like to have them.”

The smile was now focused on Reinhardt. “Please tell him I really appreciate it. It’s nice to see Jesse happy and carefree with his family.”

“He is with family now,” the large man reminded gently.

A small hum was his answer.

“Where is Jesse?”

“He’s in the bedroom, watching  an old western. He’s trying to nap, I think.”

“Should I come back later?”

Jack flipped through the photos. “No, it’s fine. Seeing someone familiar who isn’t me might do him some good.”

Reinhardt frowned down at the blond, worry gnawing at him, but he stood and went towards the bedroom.

As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted with brown eyes staring at him. The sounds of guns firing in the background as well as the easily recognisable music of a western. A slow drawl was all he could make out of the speaking in the film.

He approached the bed slowly, setting a hand on the bed near Jesse to test his boundaries without frightening him. He mumbled a greeting in terrible Spanish.

His eyes lit up, a smile forming on his face at the awful attempt at saying hello. “ _Buenas tardes!”_ Jesse emphasised the pronunciation.

Relaxing, he echoed it back, taking care to try to make it as correct as possible as he sat down beside the child.

He received a happy smile for his efforts before the boy shoved his face into the pillow he held in his arms, letting his eyes droop as his focus was shifted once again to the movie.

“Jesse,” he called, trying to keep his voice down. He held out the blanket.

A gasp escaped the boy once Reinhardt had captured his attention. “Blanket!” he exclaimed happily, accepting the soft material, hugging it close to his chest.

Reinhardt smiled softly at him. “We found it for you.”

Jesse wrapped the red material around himself, similarly to a cape, and shot a smile in Reinhardt’s direction, a giggle escaping from him. He shot the large man a finger gun and made a ‘pew’ sound, giggling some more.

He laughed, pretending for him to pull up a shield.

More laughter erupted from Jesse.

He grinned at the boy, fondness in his eyes. He glanced back over his shoulder, catching sight of Jack asleep at the table. After a moment of thought he stood, offering Jesse his hand.

A small hand was placed into the larger one, looking almost completely ridiculous in comparison, letting Reinhardt lead the way.

He took him out into the dining room, only pausing to leave a quick note for Jack, before quietly leaving the blond’s quarters.

He was sure he could handle looking after Jesse for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These boys are idiots, lemme tell you. 
> 
> I was going to say something but honestly I have completely forgotten what it was so have a good week, folks. Next week's update is when the fun starts.


	8. Chapter 8

He was almost unrecognisable when he looked at his reflection, wearing his neatly pressed dress uniform, medals adorning his breast. His hair was flatter than how he normally styled it.

He heard a drawn out sigh from somewhere behind him. “You done yet? No wonder Jess fled, geez, kid. Didn't take me this long to get ready.”

“Do you know how many people we’re going to be in front of? I don’t want to look like a slob while the world is watching.”

“I already told you, you look fine.”

Jack fiddled with his cuffs. “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” 

Gabe grabbed him by the elbow and escorted him out into the hall.

A snort left Jack’s mouth as the two of them made their way to the common area, passing by others who were just as nicely dressed as they were. The energy that the base normally had was lacking, everyone in preparation for what was to come in the evening. 

“I should be the one reassuring you. It’s your big day after all, you’re the one getting a promotion.” 

“This kinda thing doesn’t worry me,” Gabe responded, waving it off, his voice warm. “What  _ does  _ worry me is thinking about what trouble your son’s going to get up to.”

A nervous laugh. “I hope he doesn’t do anything too stupid.”

“Like wear that hat on stage?” 

Jack cringed. “Or bring his water pistol with him to shoot at people.” 

Gabriel snorted. “Your kid’s trouble.”

“You’ve helped to raise him too, so you can’t pin all the blame on me.” 

That got a laugh. “Go ahead and believe that,  _ hermoso _ .”

He pushed open the door to the lounge, holding it for Jack. 

Raising an eyebrow at Gabriel, he entered the common area, where they were to pick up Jesse and little Fareeha to bring to the large meeting room that was rarely used.

Upon stepping into the room, he felt a sense of dread creeping up on him. There was Jesse, the suit they’d wrangled him into askew and covered in dust and footprints, his hair sticking up at odd angles from beneath the too big hat, and dirt all over his face. Unaware of the stress he was causing for his father, the eleven year old just smiled up at him, shifting his grip on Fareeha who was perched on his back.

If it had been any other situation, Jack would have thought it was cute and would have called Ana to see what their children were getting up to. But because they had an important event that was being broadcast live to the world very shortly, any thoughts that didn’t involve getting Jesse cleaned up ASAP fled from his mind.

The boy hesitated. “Papa…? Are you angry…?”

A sigh. “No. Not angry. I’m stressed. Come on, Jesse, let’s get you cleaned up. Again.” 

He dropped his head, hiding his face beneath the brim of his hat, then knelt to let Fareeha down. 

“Fareeha, you can come with us too, your mother is waiting for you in the meeting room.” 

She nodded, moving to Jack’s side with her older friend trailing behind her.

They made a quick detour to the washroom, Jack placing the young girl on the counter to wait while he fussed over Jesse’s hair, scrubbing the dirt off of his son’s face. The whole time Jesse made a face, complaining that he could do this himself, but Jack wouldn’t relent. 

“Papa…”

“You earned this,” Gabriel pointed out from behind Jack. 

The boy tried to escape his father’s grasp. 

“You can go play and get dirty once the ceremony is done. For now please be patient.” With a final swipe over Jesse’s cheek, the last of the dirt had been cleaned off. 

He pouted, reaching up to fix his hat over his hair.

“You shouldn’t be wearing that hat either.”

His eyes grew wide and he looked up at his father in abject horror. “B-but…!”

“I know how much you love the hat but I’m not sure if it would go with the rest of your outfit for this occasion.” 

“But…” 

“I’m sorry, Jesse.” 

He lifted off the hat sadly, dropping his gaze as he offered the hat to his father.

He accepted the hat, gently taking it in his hands, not wanting to make any wrinkles or creases in the fabric. It was his son’s most prized possession after all.

“I’ll take it back to your room,” Gabriel offered, holding out a hand. “You get these two to the meeting room.”

A quick nod was given, Jack holding onto Fareeha’s hand, the trio making their way toward the large room that had been decorated up for the event. Jesse followed slightly behind, but Jack was still aware of his presence from his light footsteps. 

Even though he was no longer as skinny as he was when he first arrived, Jesse was still on the lanky side. Limbs too long and body too thin for how tall he was for a boy of his age. He was just glad that he didn’t have to fight as hard now to get to the boy to eat. 

Before long the heavier steps of Gabriel joined them, and there was a muffled giggle from his son. 

His heart lightened when he heard the laugh. It seemed as if Jesse wasn’t upset anymore about not being allowed to wear his hat to the event. 

A small hand slid into the one not occupied by Fareeha’s. As soon as it made its place comfortably within his larger hand, he gave it a small squeeze, acknowledging its presence. 

They stepped into the room together, Ana moving to their side gracefully to collect her daughter before they were ushered into their places.

The seats were uncomfortable, Jack was unimpressed that they would have to be sitting on them for hours until the event was over and they were ushered to an after party with important figures from the United Nations. 

To make matters worse, the presentations were, as he expected, boring. Beside him, Jesse fidgeted unhappily, trying to become one with the chair. It was distracting enough that he lost track of what the speaker was saying until the name of the new Overwatch Strike-Commander was announced. 

And it wasn’t Gabriel Reyes.

The room was spinning, his body felt as if it weighed twice as much as it actually did. The gentle tugging at his uniform sleeve was the only thing that brought him back to the present. 

Once his eyes focused, he saw Jesse looking up at him, concern written on his face. 

Beyond him, he could see the hurt scowl Gabriel wore before the darker man glanced away, and someone was at Jack’s side encouraging him to say a few words to the camera. To accept his new position. 

He didn’t know what words escaped his mouth in that moment. The only recollection he had was of parroting some words back to the head of the counsel, a badge cold in his hands, sucking away any warmth he radiated. 

He was swarmed when it was over, kept away from Jesse and Gabriel by the sheer number of people vying for his attention. By the time he could get away, there was no sign of either of them. 

Disappointment filled his chest, wanting the support of his family. And even though Jack knew Gabriel deserved the promotion, Reyes should have at least congratulated him on it, right? 

Before he could think much longer on the topic, a gentle hand gripped his elbow. He turned to his left to see Ana, her hair done up neatly in a clean braid, Fareeha trailing behind her. Her presence grounded him, bringing him back to the room with people who wanted to talk to him, and congratulate him on his promotion. 

“Are you alright?” she asked him gently.

“Yeah. I just… thought they would be here.” 

She glanced away. “Gabriel left immediately, and Jesse followed him shortly thereafter.”

He sighed heavily, a weight settling on his shoulders. Glancing around the room, noticing the eyes that were on him, he straightened his back and placed what he thought was a rather convincing smile on his face. 

“Well, there are others in the room who want to talk to me. Better not keep them waiting. I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with all of them.”

“Jack…”

He placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll catch up with them later. They probably have something more important to get to.” Another smile. 

She didn't stop him when someone else drew his attention and he moved away.

Shooting a quick glance behind him as he was being introduced to yet another official, he saw little Fareeha staring at him sadly while holding her mother’s hand. He knew the two of them were worried, it hurt more knowing that the small girl was able to pick up on it as well, but he couldn’t let anyone know about all the insecurities he had now that he was responsible for an entire organisation. 

Before long, he had lost track of them too.

Surrounded by people who were dressed to the nines, posture and voice radiating their importance, he felt lost.

 

* * *

 

Heart heavy, he waited for his door to slide open before shuffling inside with a sigh. As soon as the door was closed, he stripped out of his jacket and hung it neatly over the back of the chair, moving toward the sounds of a movie playing, the volume higher than normal. 

A gentle push had the door open, not fully closed, to see his son, blanket curled up in Jesse’s grasp, staring intently at the tv almost to the point where he was glaring at it. 

Jesse seemed to feel his gaze, for he buried his face in his crossed arms, his knees tight to his chest. He turned the movie up further.

Worry flashed through Jack’s mind, seeing his son try to make himself seem as small as possible, almost as if he didn’t want Jack to see him. Slowly, he made his way toward the boy, sitting beside him, wrapping his arms around his thin frame and pulled him to his chest. 

“Is everything okay?”  

“What happened?” Jesse asked instead, leaning into him.

“What do you mean?” 

“Gabe was leader…”

Jack sighed shakily. “Yeah, he was. He was a good leader.”

“Now you’re leader?”

A nod.

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes it happens.”

The boy frowned, hugging his knees tighter. 

“Why are you sad?”

“Gabe’s mad…”

His heart broke to have his fears confirmed. “Oh.” 

“And you’re upset…”

His voice died in his throat. He didn’t think he was being so obvious with his emotions, thinking his mask would be able to fool those who were closest to him as well as the officials. He should have known better than to think his friends and family would fall for his façade.   


"I am," he admitted after a long silence.

Jesse burrowed further into his side. "Why did they do this to you?"

Bringing his son closer to his chest, Jack placed his face in his soft, brown hair, sighing heavily. "Unfortunately - or fortunately depending on how you look at it - things are constantly changing. That's how life is."

Stubbornly, "I don't like change."

“No one does, kiddo.”

He grumbled quietly, reaching down from within his blanket for the hat which had been discarded at his feet. He put it on his father's head before settling again, pouting. "Gabe yelled..."

Shock shot through him. “Did he yell at you?” 

The answer wasn’t really a word.

Quickly, he brought his son into a full hug, rather than the one arm he had wrapped around his shoulders. He understood that Gabriel would be angry, he would probably be too if he was in the same place as the man, but it didn't mean Jack couldn't be upset that he yelled at Jesse. He'd have to confront him about that.

“Promise me you’re going to stay his friend?” Jesse whispered against his shoulder.

“I don’t think I can keep that promise, but I can try.”

The boy sighed and disappeared beneath the blanket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the comments, kudos, bookmarks, etc. 
> 
> If you have any questions you can find kenwave on tumblr [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com)


	9. Chapter 9

Once again, Gabriel had disappeared before he could even get a word in. It didn’t help that someone always seemed to get in the way, whether it was Jesse needing to talk to him or one of the others under his command. 

He was beginning to see what Gabriel had said about being in charge; he was slowly but surely beginning to feel buried beneath paperwork. It kept him distracted, spending less time with Jesse let alone the rest of the team. 

And Gabriel was actively going out of his way to avoid him, it seemed, and it left Jack wondering if he’d be able to fix the relationship between them at all. 

The times he did see him on his own, Gabriel would swiftly turn away from Jack and walk in the opposite direction, making an excuse about meetings or other work to be done. It hurt, but he had too many other responsibilities to even call Gabriel out on it. 

It left him feeling lost and unbalanced, having one of the rocks in his life that he thought would always be there suddenly disappearing.

It was only when he had his path physically barred by the immovable Reinhardt, and Ana called his name in a sickly sweet voice that he was forced to face it. He turned to face her.

“This must stop,” she told him, crossing her arms, Torbjörn’s short, stocky frame beside her. “You are disrupting the rest of the base with your fight.”

He scoffed. “It’s not a fight.” 

Off to her right, Torbjörn snorted. “Man’s blind.” 

She raised a brow. “Jack. When have you last spoken to him?” 

Quickly he counted under his breath. “Several weeks?”

“Jack…” Reinhardt sighed behind him. 

He glanced away. “He doesn’t want to be around me. Why force him to?”

“Because it’s becoming a damn nuisance.” Torbjörn crossed his arms in front of his chest. 

Ana shot the short man a look before giving her attention back to Jack. “Talk to him. Now. He’s in his office, busy with paperwork.”

“I don’t want to distract him.” 

A large hand was suddenly curled around the back of his uniform and he was practically lifted off his feet. 

He attempted to dig his feet into the tiled floor, but it was futile. Realising he was getting higher from the ground, he pulled forward, attempting to shift all of his weight to dislodge himself from Reinhardt’s grasp. However, the man was too strong for it to be successful. 

“Talk to him.” 

“He’s-” 

“Just as desperate to get away from paperwork as he was  _ before _ the promotion. Reinhardt will carry you if he has to,” Ana cut in sharply. 

With a sigh, Jack relented. “ _ Fine _ .” 

He was set down on his feet carefully. 

He straightened his back, lifted his chin, and knocked gently on the door, knowing that if he barged directly into the office he would just be yelled at for abusing his authority. 

Gabriel called out that it was open, just like he always did. 

Hesitantly, he opened the door. As soon as it was fully opened, he was greeted with the sight of a disgruntled Gabriel, glaring up at the intruder. Once he realised who his guest was, his frown deepened. He pushed his chair back from the desk, standing up stiffly. 

“Commander,” he said, voice emotionless. 

“Gabriel? Can we talk?” he asked nervously, giving him a weak smile.

“It’s not like I can say no, now can I?” 

He tried not to flinch. “I can leave if this is a bad time.” 

Not that he really believed he could; he hadn’t heard the tell tale footsteps of his comrades leaving. He assumed that if he could even open the door, he’d just be shoved right back in.

Gabriel shifted his weight. “I don’t have anything better to do. Spit it out.” 

"I don't want to keep doing this. Avoiding each other."

Gabriel sighed heavily. "Look, I know that you're mad at me so I'm just avoiding a fight I know is going to happen."

"I'm not angry, I'm upset that you yelled at my son."

"I told him to leave me alone," he said back through his teeth.

"Telling him to you leave you alone shouldn’t make him  _ cry. You yelled at him _ !"

Gabriel scoffed. "I wasn't that harsh. Maybe you should toughen him up."

"He's a child, Gabriel! Not a soldier! I'm not going to treat him like one!"

"Well maybe you should. He's in a fucking  _ war zone _ . There's no way you're getting him out of this life without making him a soldier! They're going to expect him to follow in his father's footsteps. You're setting him up for this, you're gonna have to open your eyes or he's going to die."

"Oh, I didn't know he was your son. I'll just roll over while you decide what's best for him."

Gabriel was on his feet. " _ Get out of my office _ ."    


" _ No. _ We're  _ not _ done here."

“I'm  _ done. _ Get the fuck out!”

Face red, he turned around, blue duster whipping behind him as he stormed out of the office and slammed the door shut. He ignored the concerned looks his friends were shooting him, knowing they heard the entire argument as he made his way down the hall.

Blinded by his anger, he barely registered when Jesse had appeared under foot, only realizing when the eleven year old yelped and tried to scramble out of the way. 

The red that was surrounding his vision faded away, anger still thrumming through his veins. 

“Jesse?”

Watery brown eyes met his. 

“I’m sorry, Jesse. I didn’t see you there.” 

“P-Papa,” he mumbled, stepping back. 

Kneeling, he tried to make himself look less intimidating. The scared look in Jesse’s eyes made any remnants of anger disappear. 

“Are you okay?” 

“ _ S-sí _ , I’m fine!” The boy chewed his lip, his shoulders pulled in. 

Jack sighed, knowing that his son was lying, but he could see the boy didn’t want to talk to him about it so he stopped trying. As he stood, he lifted Jesse up with him, cradling him to his chest much like how when the boy was younger.

He loudly grunted for show. “You’re getting heavy, kiddo. Don’t think I can do this much longer.” 

It worked to get him a bit of a laugh. “I’m not that big.”

Lifting up his hand to ruffle Jesse’s unruly locks, Jack chuckled. “You say that now, but before you know it you’ll be as big as Reinhardt.”

“Bigger than you?” 

“If you eat all your veggies and drink your milk then you might be!”

The boy smiled and rested his head on his father’s shoulder. But the smile didn't last, his expression clouding.

Jack brought up his hand to the nape of Jesse’s neck, lightly stroking at the slightly wavy hair. Overwatch employees who were speeding down the hallways left and right gave the two of them a wide berth, sensing the sombre atmosphere around the duo.

Humming softly seemed to calm them both slightly, but eventually he offered to take him off base for a few hours, to get away. 

The fresh air and sunlight hitting his face was a welcome reprieve from the cramped atmosphere of his office and the cool, regulated temperatures which never allowed him to break into a sweat. He took a moment to take in his surroundings, listening to the birds chirping, the voices of people walking down the street, the odd pieces of music as cars hovered by, and breathing in deep gulps of the air. 

Jesse walked beside him, his hand in his, quiet. 

“Anywhere you’d like to go?” Jack asked.

Dark eyes darted up. “ _ ¿Helado? _ ” 

Jack smiled, eyes crinkling in the corner. “That can be arranged.” 

Already, the boy looked happier, practically pulling his father down the street. 

Laughing, he let his son practically drag him along the way to the ice cream shop, the boy  knowing how to get there with his eyes closed. Jesse brought him up to the counter and ordered the usual sizes, Rocky Road for himself, and  browsed for which one to pick for Jack. After a lengthy internal debate, he settled on something sweet and strawberry.

With a hesitant lick at the cone, Jack was pleasantly surprised at the taste that filled his mouth. He gave a content hum and continued to enjoy the flavour that Jesse had picked out for him, the sugar chasing away any remaining negative feelings he had.

His son leaned into his side, enjoying his own.

Jack placed his free hand on Jesse’s head, gently leading the boy back toward the Watchpoint. This time they moved at a much leisurely pace, not wanting to go back to face the reality of Jack’s position as commander. 

“We could leave,” Jesse spoke up as the Watchpoint came into sight.

A sad laugh escaped Jack’s throat. “Leaving would end up causing more problems. It’s technically against the law for me to leave.” 

“Against the law?”

“I would basically be deserting the military. That can have some dangerous consequences. And if I talked to my bosses about leaving, they wouldn’t let me go unless I had a very good reason for it.” His grip tightened on the cone, the waffle cracking lightly and threatening to break in his grasp. 

A small hand curled around his wrist. “What kind of good reason? Is family a good one?”

He made a choked noise, shaking his head sadly. The taste of strawberry turned to dust in his mouth. “Apparently it’s not good enough,” he whispered.

“Oh…”

“Come on, Jesse, let’s go back inside before it gets too cold.” 

The boy followed him back inside, shutting the door on the hard topic behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to say a big thank you to each person who has read this fic, and to those who stop at the end to give us a kudos or review. I want to also say a huge thank you to [hinoart](http://hinoart.tumblr.com/) who has drawn [fanart](http://hinoart.tumblr.com/post/152804461047/au-fic-jack-adopted-mccree-literally) for this story! I was blown away when kenwave told me. You guys should check it out, it's adorable and so well done! 
> 
> I've recently rediscovered Tumblr and can be found [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com)
> 
> kenwave can be found [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com)


	10. Chapter 10

His feet crunched softly on the white gravel, his trusted pulse rifle aimed toward the ground as a bright red spot lit up by his visor led his way. This was his first mission as Strike-Commander, he and the team assigned to him were to rescue several hostages that had been taken by a local gang wanting to make it big.

The higher ups had told him before he had been deployed that this type of mission would be a one time thing. Overwatch didn’t handle local gangs, that was for the region’s law enforcement. It was only a ploy to get into the public’s good graces.

Jack had resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“ _I_ _see movement. Left side of the building. I can’t tell if it’s hostile from my position_ ,” Ana said, the comm line crackling with her voice.

“Copy. _”_ He quickly signaled to the small group of soldiers behind him to keep an eye out. Several nods were the reply.

They branched out, surrounding the building.

In one of the windows, drapes were pulled aside. A masked man peered out into the gloom.

A quick gesture toward the faint light that streamed out had the small group push themselves against the wall, out of the sentry’s line of sight.

“ _I_ _have a clear line of sight_ ,” Ana told him _, “I can see the hostages._ ”

“Where are they?” he whispered, keeping watch as one of his soldiers picked the lock to the large warehouse.

_“In the centre of the room. A few will need medical attention.”_

He nodded, more for himself than for Ana. He had several biotic fields left, never leaving on a mission without them. They were useful, especially when a medic was not in the field, however they were very expensive. He’d have to use them sparingly.

His soldier turned to look at him, slowly pushing the door open.

They quickly checked the hall over, finding nothing amiss. No gang members were wandering around, and everything silent. Jack’s eyes narrowed. This entire mission is suspiciously easy so far. He’d been a soldier long enough to not trust it.

“Split up,” he ordered.

Heads of close cropped hair nodded, quickly splitting up amongst themselves, more used to working with each other than Jack.

He sighed and followed his own group, approaching the room the hostages were in.  
  
A few gang members paced the space, fingers twitchy and faces tense, stalking forward like animals. They circled the room and taunted their captives. One or two kept their eyes trained on the windows.

He signaled for the small group to wait. Rushing in wouldn't solve anything in this situation - as much as it was something he had always done under Gabriel's command. He had other lives to be responsible for out in the field now.

A series of hand signals to his team let them know to wait until one of the gang members left the room to attack. They would try to pick them off one by one to cause the least amount of casualties amongst themselves and the captives. If too many of his own were injured he wouldn't be able to rescue the hostages as easily. And if the hostages died it would be a failure as his first mission as Strike-Commander.

There was too much riding on this.

An opening presented itself: one of the captors heard something down the hall, moving with another to investigate.

With a quick nod, the soldiers sprung into action. As soon as one of the captors made it through the door, the soldier closest grabbed his mouth, pulling him into the shadows. An arm wrapped around his neck quickly took care of him.

The other, quickly realising what had happened, ran out, gun pointed in front of her, safety off.

She was subdued quickly by another soldier, lowered to the ground as she was choked unconscious.

Swiftly, the group swept into the room, guns pointed in front of them. Within a matter of seconds, the other gang members had been subdued.

Untying the hostages proved to be an easy task, knots being something Jack had learned years ago when he was going through survival training. He threw the ropes at the soldier closest to him, her short hair obscured by a baseball cap. Easily catching it, she immediately went to tie up the unconscious gang members.

“ _This feels too easy_ ,” Ana murmured over the comm to him.

“Exactly what I was thinking.”

“ _I’m searching for any signs of a trap._ ”

“Thank you, Ana. We’re beginning extraction.”

Quickly, he checked over every one of the hostages for their injuries, gauging which ones need immediate care and which ones would be able to wait. One of the most injured was a teenaged boy who had resisted the most, his shoulder coated in blood.

Noticing this, Jack tore off the bottom of his blue duster. He didn’t want it to begin with, he felt nothing for destroying it. He made his way over to the teenager, kneeling in front of him.

“Let me help.”

Hazel eyes regarded him warily.

Not waiting for any other response, Jack efficiently cleaned and wrapped the wound with everything they had with them, much to one of the soldier’s dismay when he put aside an empty bottle of whisky.

“There.”

He got a muttered thanks, and a young girl moved to the teen, thanking Jack herself for taking care of her big brother.

He gave her a weak smile. “It’s what we’re here to do.”

The other soldiers dealt with what injuries they could on site, and were ready to move on.

Jack helped the teenager stand, letting him lean his weight against him, struggling because of heavy blood loss. He picked up his pulse rifle and holstered it on his back.

"Let's move out."

They made their way back to the transports, helping the injured inside. The teenager’s sister took the boy’s hand and squeezed it lightly, starting to talk to him and make him smile.

Jack watched on, a small smile on his face as he witnessed the two interact, glad that they got out safe. They and all the other captives they had rescued would make it home alive. It was what he had joined the military to do, to save others and keep them safe.

Ana joined him, crossing her arms and frowning.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Are we ready to go?” she asked.

“Looks like it. Everyone’s in the transport.”

She moved to take her seat. “I want to get back to Fareeha.”

Jack nodded, joining her. “It’ll be good to see the kids again.”

“I only wish I had more time with her. Time not spent worrying for her safety.”

“There are a lot of sacrifices we have to make for this job. Unfortunately family is the first one.” He frowned, thinking of Jesse, soon his thoughts drifted to Gabriel. Another sacrifice for his job.

“A war is no place for a child.”

“No it isn’t. It’s why we have to leave them behind.”

She sighed, her gaze sliding to the boy and his sister. He followed her eyes. The siblings asleep in each other’s grasp.

Soon enough, they had the hostages all patched up and released after a quick psych evaluation. He watched as the brother and sister made their way toward parents who were waiting worriedly for their children to be brought back to them all safe and sound.

Missions didn’t get any easier from there. They were simple, without so much as a single mishap. There were no traps laid for them to spring, there were no rogue elements to keep track of. While there was the odd injury there or there, they rarely lost anyone.

Instead, their fame and presence in the media only seemed to grow, gleaming and white.

Heroes, the people called them.

It made him uncomfortable to be glorified. The media just seemed to paint them as perfect, they could do no wrong. They didn’t see the horrors that their heroes faced, and if they did, they would no longer be labelled as such.

And yet, here they were, giving him an ill-fitting title, with him running an organization that never should have been his. He hated it.

Entering the base after one of his missions, the agents and soldiers rushing about the place stapped aside to offer him a brief salute and a quick “sir!”. However, he focused on a familiar figure, dark clothing with darker splotches of blood covering him.

Gabriel looked like the world rested on his shoulders, trudging through the hallway.

Jack’s mouth opened, the man’s name rising to his tongue, but he couldn’t do it. His gaze fell, and with it, his nerve.

He didn’t understand it, how backwards things really were. But unfortunately, he had no control.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, Jack is wise. 
> 
> Again, thanks so much for supporting this story, it really means a lot to us and thrills us to know that you enjoy it! 
> 
> kenwave can be found [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com)
> 
> TimelessTragedy can be found [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com)


	11. Chapter 11

He leaned out his office window, staring out at the people below as he puffed out a plume of smoke. He watched people bustling to and fro below him in the courtyard leading up to the entrance of the building, letting his mind wander, his free hand fiddling with the cigarette box within its grasp. 

“What’cha doin’?” 

Startled, he threw the burning cigarette out the window.

“Nothing, kid.” 

Brown eyes followed the cigarette.

A slam echoed through the room as Gabriel closed the window, leaning against the glass. “Why’re you here?” 

“What, I’m not allowed to visit?” he asked, eyeing the bigger man from under his hat. “You supposed to be smoking indoors?” 

“Haven’t visited in awhile, kid. And I can smoke indoors as long as no one catches me.” He shot the young teen a wry grin. 

“I ain’t a kid,” he grumbled, crossing his arms and dipping his head so his face was hidden. 

“You’ll be a kid so long as you keep acting like one and pouting.” 

“What if I told my dad you’re smoking in your office?” 

Gabriel snorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “And what’s he gonna do? Fire me?” 

“Fuck you, maybe.” 

He choked, coughing into his hand. “Who taught you that language?” 

“You.”

Ignoring the statement, he was still caught up on what Jesse said before. His mouth opened, to say something, but nothing came out, his brain short circuiting. 

“Why do you think Jack’d do that? He doesn’t even look my way anymore.”

Jesse pushed his hat up enough to give Gabriel an incredulous look. 

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Don’t you have anything better to do, kid?”

The boy moved to the desk, sitting on it, lifting his feet to put them on his chair. “Naw.” 

Gabriel groaned, plopping himself down at his desk, nearly catching the boy’s feet when he didn’t move them quickly enough. Papers rustled as he pulled out the forms that had been piling up while he had been away on a string of missions. He placed his box of cigarettes on top of a file folder, closing the drawer with a slam.

Jesse pushed the chair back with a foot. 

The wheels on the bottom, having nothing to grip on, spun quickly, taking Gabriel away to the opposite end of the room, facing the door. 

There was the sound of Jesse jumping down off the desk, a few papers fluttering after him. “Oops.” 

He pushed himself out of his chair. “Pick up the papers you’ve dropped.” 

With a grumble, Jesse bent down to gather them. 

A quick rap on the door had the two of them turn their heads toward it. Jesse eyed the window. 

“Don’t even think about it, boy.” 

The cowboy whined and leaned against the desk, as the door opened. 

Once the door was opened enough, it revealed the pristine form of one Jack Morrison. Hair perfectly styled, not a strand out place. His face completely neutral. 

Gabriel forced himself to scowl. “Morrison.” 

“Reyes.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“What do you want?”

Jack’s eyes shifted away from Gabriel’s gaze. “Jesse.”

The boy looked up. 

“Come on,  _ mijo, _ you’ve been skipping out on your lessons. I know you have some math questions to do.” 

“ _ Papa… _ ” 

“No excuses. They have to get done.”

“I did half of them!” 

“You have to do all of them. If you do we can get ice cream.”

Jesse’s face hesitantly lit up and he pushed off from the desk, nodding to Gabriel before slipping past his father. 

Jack shot a quick glance at Gabriel as he left the room, gently closing the door behind him as he went. 

Mouth opening and closing, dark eyes wide, Gabriel watched, horrified at another lost chance. 

He waited for a long moment, letting the silence fall and settle around him. He felt like he was suffocating, his throat closing. He grit his teeth, snarling angrily, gripping the edge of the desk and lifted, upending it. Papers flew as the desk crashed against the wall. 

He trembled. 

He felt so alone… 

He was a man of missed opportunities. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prideful morons. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading this fic, commenting, bookmarking, and giving us kudos. It honestly makes our day brighter. 
> 
> You can find kenwave [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/)


	12. Chapter 12

The yell echoed in his mind as he sat at the table in his quarters, opposite to his son who scribbled away furiously at the paper in front of him. He grasped painfully at his legs. He shouldn't have gone to pick up Jesse, he should have just waited for the boy or sent him a message.

He shouldn't have indulged in his selfish need to see Gabriel.

Jesse glanced up from his homework, eyes searching.

“Everything okay, Jesse?”

“Why did he yell?”

Jack sighed. “I don’t know.”

“Are you okay, Papa?”

He laughed weakly, opting to be truthful this time. "No, I'm not."

Jesse stood, going around the table to wrap his arms around the blond.

Hesitating, Jack slowly returned the embrace, burying his face into the boy's hair. His shoulders begun to shake, breathing becoming irregular.

After a moment, Jesse started to sing softly for him, words rolling smoothly into Spanish.

Slowly, Jack's breathing evened out, shoulders relaxing. Quietly he started to hum along to the tune, the song familiar to him. A lullaby that Gabriel taught him l to sing to Jesse before bed.

At the break in between verses, Jack let a sad laugh escape him.

"I'm the one who's supposed to be taking care of you, making sure you're okay. My issues shouldn't be your responsibility."

Jesse tightened his grip. "I love you.”

" _Te amo_ , Jesse. You're one of the best things to have happened to me."

Jesse beamed at him. He returned the grin with a soft smile, his eyes crinkled at the corner. He ruffled Jesse's hair, creating more of a mess out of it.

"Now, finish those questions."

For once, Jesse didn't whine as he shuffled back to his books.

Jack stared fondly after him until his son became engrossed in the problems, pencil scratching against paper a constant sound in the background.

He stood up, walking to the kitchen to turn on the kettle, not wanting Jesse to see his face drop, or to hear the sigh he let out. Although Jesse helped, and he was feeling a little better, there was still an underlying tiredness and sadness he couldn't place.

It was getting harder to cope; Gabriel was his best friend, the man he adored, and yet here they were unable to speak to each other without coming up with some excuse or walking away feeling hurt and unheard. They were barely friends anymore with the way they acted with each other. It stung.

It would have been better if they had one large falling out, with anger keeping the two of them from even going near each other. Residual hatred destroyed what they once had. Like tearing off a bandaid, it would have hurt less. Slowly drifting apart from each other was painful. It stung to not feel comfortable enough to call Gabriel by his first name, to see the pain in the man's dark eyes when he saw Jack enter a room.

How did everything go so wrong?

“I’m done.”

"Looks like I'll have to keep up my end of the bargain, huh?" he joked.

“Can I go play with Fareeha?”

Jack felt his heart break. His son didn’t want the ice cream, it seemed. “Of course.”

Jesse wrapped him in a brief hug before running off.

Smiling sadly, he shouted after him, "Be safe!"

"I will!" The boy disappeared down the hall.

With a heavy sigh, Jack turned back to the kettle, the water boiling, and poured it into a large mug. The lighter swirls of the cream he had poured previous being mixed into the dark substance mesmerized him, giving him something else to focus on other than his thoughts.

When his coffee was ready, he took it back with him to his office, where, begrudgingly, he set to work. At least paperwork was better than worrying about how the next thing could go wrong.

He wouldn’t necessarily say he appreciated having to do it - his wrist constantly sore from the repetitive motion of applying his signature to papers - but at least it was a constant.

He worked until Jesse finally appeared late that night to force him to go back to their quarters for bed.

Glancing up from the work, he shot his son a little smile. “How was your evening with Fareeha?”

“She read while I played games,” he said with a shrug. “Have you eaten yet?”

Jack hummed, pausing a moment to think back on his evening. Nothing came up in his recent memory. “I had coffee when you left.”

“ _Dad_.”

“When did you become the parent?” Jack chuckled. He neatly piled up the paperwork, separating the finished from the ones he had yet to look over, and stood up from his desk. After a quick glance at the office, checking it over for any left over paper, he grabbed the coffee mug he had taken with him.

Jesse opened the door and stepped out into the hall to wait. "When you didn't eat dinner."

The blond rolled his eyes, playfully swatting him at the back of his head, his hand now wet from his son’s damp hair, smelling faintly of shampoo. "I'll make something back in our quarters. Will that satisfy you?"

“Only when you’ve eaten.”

Jack laughed, eyes filled with mirth. "Okay, okay."

They set off down the hall, son leading father.

Every child's worst nightmare was to become their parent, but normally that was when they became parents themselves. He watched on in amusement as Jesse glanced back periodically to make sure he was still following him, acting very much as if he was Jack's father instead of his son.

It was Jesse who unlocked the door to their quarters and held it for him.

Jack raised his eyebrow at the young teen as he passed him, entering the small quarters. "Have you eaten anything?"

“Ana made dinner.”

He nodded. "What did she make?" He moved into the kitchen, gathering several ingredients from the fridge and placed them on the counter.

The boy shrugged. "An Egyptian dish?"

"Was it good?" Jack turned on the stove top, setting some water to boil. Once that was done he started chopping some herbs.

Chocolate eyes watched him. "It's not your cooking."

"You're flattering me, Jesse." Jack poured pasta into the boiling water, giving it a quick stir before starting on a quick garlic sauce, adding some shrimp into the pan.

“Can I have some?”

He glanced over his shoulder at Jesse, slightly shocked. "Must be hungry tonight, huh?"

He shrugged. " _Por favor?_ "

"Of course, I always make extra." He poured out the water from the pot that held the pasta, dumping it into the pan with the garlic sauce and shrimp, stirring it around until it was evenly coated in sauce.

While he was busy, Jesse pulled down two plates, bringing them to the table. He set their places.

"Thank you, Jesse." He served the pasta, quickly taking out some parmesan cheese from the fridge to put on his helping.

Smelling the finished food made his stomach grumble loudly; he hadn't realised how hungry he actually was. Glancing up to see if Jesse had gotten some pasta for himself, he dug right in, shovelling the food into his face.

After a moment, Jesse started to laugh at him.

"What?" he said through a mouthful of pasta.

"I knew you were hungry."

"I didn't know you had a sixth sense for that."

"I have to with you," he teased.

"Apparently you're the one who adopted me, not the other way around." He chuckled, gathering another scoop of pasta onto his fork.

Jesse picked out a piece of shrimp, smiling at his dad.

Not too soon after, Jack finished his serving, nothing left on the plate. Quickly cleaning everything up, be put away the leftover food to be eaten at another time.

"It's getting late, Jesse. You should head to bed soon."

Jesse stood, picking up his mostly untouched plate. "I'll be right back."

He looked on, confused, but let him go. "Don't be out too late.  _Te amo_ , Jesse."

" _Te amo_ , Papa. I'll be back in a few minutes." 

He slipped out.

Curiosity coursed through him. It was odd for Jesse to just run off with an entire plate of food. But he knew he wouldn't be able to stop him from doing anything once he got something in that head of his. The boy was stubborn.

Jesse was right though; he was back before long, the plate empty. He washed it before getting ready for bed.

"Dare I ask?" Jack leaned against Jesse's bedroom door, arms crossed as the young teen searched for the blanket that was brought back from Mexico.

"I thought Gabe might like a bite," he answered, glancing over his shoulder to watch his father's face. "He said it was good."

Blue eyes widened in shock, but he quickly schooled his expression. He opened his mouth to respond, but the words were caught in his throat. The blanket was found and his son wrapped it around himself, pulling it close.

“Good night, Jesse.” Jack smiled softly as his son curled up under his blankets, resting his head on the pillow, cowboy hat resting on the table beside his bed.

“ _Buenas noches,_ ” he said back, closing his eyes.

“ _Buenas noches, mijo.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about updating a bit late. Life happened. 
> 
> We appreciate you all very much <3
> 
> You can find kenwave [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com)


	13. Chapter 13

He’d had enough. The stress was only piling higher and higher with each passing day, making it harder and harder to breathe. He’d stopped trying with Gabriel, and secluded himself in his office or his quarters, busying himself with work. Jesse stepping in to force him to eat or take a break was only growing more common, and it felt more than a little unfair that the fourteen year old boy was the one that had to be more responsible.

But he couldn’t help it. It was hard enough to endure meetings where he sat beside the man that used to be his best friend without acknowledging his presence while trying to balance missions and reports, let alone try to act like things weren’t falling apart around him.

At wit’s end, he did what he thought was best. He booked what little time off he could, packed his bags, and told his son to do the same.

They were going back to Indiana for a week.

He knew he needed the time to himself in a safe environment where no one would be chasing after him to get things done by a deadline. His moms would be there to help take the weight off of his shoulders by taking care of Jesse. Probably teaching him about farm life while Jack slept.

He planned to sleep a lot that week.

“What’re they like?” Jesse asked as they walked up the long driveway. He shoved his bag further up his shoulder, watching his father out of the corner of his eye.

“Very accepting. They’ll welcome you into the family with open arms.” Jack smiled, thinking about them. He really did miss them, he hadn’t seen them in years, didn’t even think he had sent them a letter or any message since before he went into the Soldier Enhancement Program.

“They’ll definitely insist you aren’t eating enough though.” He chuckled, thinking back on the many times one of his moms had kept giving him more and more food declaring he looked like a twig.

Jesse groaned. “You already do that to me.”

Jack laughed. “I guess the saying is true; you become like your parents when you’re older.”

Brown eyes narrowed at him playfully. “Why’d I want ta become like you?”

The blond man shrugged. “Every child’s fear.”

The teen bumped his shoulder against his father’s arm. “You’re not too bad, Papa.”

“You’re not too shabby yourself, Jesse.” Jack returned the nudge, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. “Weird fake accent and all.”

The kid laughed, sticking his tongue out. _“Which is worse?”_

Jack cringed at the Texan drawl the teen applied to his Spanish. “That’s worse. Please, don’t do that. I can barely make out what you’re saying.”

He countered that by saying something, accent even stronger, too quickly for his father to follow, complete with a cocky grin.

Jack could only give the teen a blank stare. He might’ve picked up the word “hat” but he wasn’t even sure about that. Jesse continued to make his ears bleed with the horrid accent until they reached the door. The gravel underfoot turned into a neatly cemented porch with potted plants underneath the front window.

He lifted a hand and knocked, glancing at his son and waiting, shuffling his weight from one foot to the other.

The door opened with a loud slam, a petite woman staring up at him, her blonde hair greying, crows feet at the corner of her brown eyes.

“Jonathan Alexander Morrison, you show up out of the blue after how many years?!” she yelled.

He flinched, and he heard the accompanying gasp of his son before the teenager stepped back.

Placing his hand gently on Jesse’s shoulder for comfort, he smiled sheepishly at his mother. “Hi Mom.”

Her eyes slid from him to Jesse and grew as wide as saucers. “Raven! Oh, Raven, come here!”

The petite woman was soon joined by a slightly taller one, her dark hair trimmed neatly above her shoulders, freckles adorned her skin. Laugh lines covered her face, putting her happiness and joy on display for the entire world.

“Yes, Michelle?”

“Jackie has a _son_!”

“Oh my word! Where is he?”

Jack chuckled, pushing Jesse toward his parents. “This is Jesse.”

The boy froze, eyes wide and face pale. He managed to lift a hand and squeak out, “ _Hola…”_

“How adorable!” Raven exclaimed reaching out her hands to grasp Jesse’s within them. She shook them enthusiastically, a beaming grin on her face. “I can’t believe we have a grandson! I never thought this would happen!”

The poor teenager seemed shell shocked, barely responsive.

Noticing his son’s shock, he gently squeezed on his shoulder, letting the appendage ground him and let him know Jack was there.

Chocolate eyes darted up before the boy managed a smile.

“It’s… nice to... meet you,” Jesse stumbled through saying.

Raven beamed at the teen. “It’s wonderful to meet you as well! Oh! Where are my manners. I’m Raven and this is my wonderful partner, Michelle.”

“A pleasure!” Michelle cooed. She took Jesse by the hand to pull him inside.

“We’ll have to tell you all the embarrassing stories about your father. Payback for him not visiting us in ages. Or letting us know he was still alive. Jack, if it wasn’t for the sheer publicity of your position you would have us worried sick!” Raven shot Jack a glare as he trailed behind the three, sheepish grin on his face.

His son laughed. “ _You don’t talk to them? I didn’t know you were so mean!”_

Jack groaned. _“I was busy.”_

_“So if I get busy, do I get to ignore you?”_

Jack playfully swatted at Jesse’s hat, displacing it from the top of his head. _“Just because I did it doesn't mean you should. I_ do _regret it.”_

“I didn’t know you spoke Spanish,” Raven said, arching a brow.

“I couldn’t. But then I adopted Jesse and he could only speak Spanish. I adapted.”

“Where is he from?” she asked, watching as her wife guided the boy in question toward the kitchen.

“Mexico. We found him on an op in New Mexico, though. On a trip to visit family.”

“Found?” a tinge of concern coloured her tone.

A nervous laugh found its way out of him. “Yeah, uh, it’s a long story, Ma.”

“I have time, if you’re willing to share.”

He gnawed at his lip, debating with himself if he should tell his mother about it. He wasn’t sure if it would be unfair to Jesse if he told someone he barely knew about such a horrifying time in his life.

She waited a moment before nodding and motioning for him to follow his son.

He gave her a small smile, pausing for a moment before drawing her into a hug. “I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” she said softly. “You can tell us when you’re ready, my son.”

“No, I’m sorry for not contacting you at all for the past decade.”

“How long have you had him?”

“Around seven years now, I think.”

“That’s a long time.”

Jack laughed. “I suppose it is. Time flies, Ma.”

There was a fond sort of tiredness in her eyes. “It certainly does.”

He shuffled on his feet, uncomfortable from the silence that fell upon them. He couldn’t give his mothers back the decade of him growing up back. He knew he’d grown a lot within the past years, especially since he adopted Jesse. He knew the meaning of time spent with one’s children a lot more now. Realising what he had done, he felt absolutely terrible.

“We should join them,” she told him softly, starting toward the kitchen.

He nodded, following slowly behind her, taking in the old pictures hanging up around the house. Knick knacks placed on the tables and shelves, as well as several remnants of his youth. Very little had changed since the last time he’d been there; a few things were new like an odd picture here or there of his parents with friends or the clock adorning the one wall.

Worst of all, it still felt so much like home.

 _“What is this?”_ he heard Jesse ask, the teen repeated himself a moment later in English, and when he turned the corner he found his son holding a figurine from when Jack was a child.

Gently, he took the weathered looking figurine from his son’s hands with a soft smile. “I can’t believe you kept this!” He turned to his parents.

“We kept most of your things,” Michelle responded brightly. “As many as we could.”

“Within reason,” Raven added.

Sadness swept through him at the confession. He had essentially made his mothers mourn him. Slowly, he turned the worn llama figurine in his callused hands, brushing his fingers over the faded paint that coated it. With a fond smile, he returned the small figure to his son.

Jesse touched the little llama’s face, a smile on his lips. “I like it.”

“I used to be fond of llamas.” Jack shrugged.

“Why llamas?” he asked, looking up.

“I can’t remember now. It must’ve had something to do with them being used as guards for other animals and I wanted Ma to raise one to protect our chickens.”

“We debated it, briefly,” Michelle piped up teasingly, her eyes bright.

Jack laughed. “I never knew you did!”

“You were so determined to convince us to get one.”

“Instead of wanting a dog, like most kids, I wanted a llama.”

His son tried to hide a snort.

“Our little Jackie wasn’t like normal kids.” Raven laughed.

“I wouldn’t have traded it for the world,” Michelle sighed happily. “Now, which one of you boys is going to help me get dinner ready?”

Jack sighed heavily. “I will. I guess Ma is gonna use this as an opportunity to embarrass me by telling Jesse stories about my childhood.”

“Welcome home,” she said with a wink. She set him right to work, while Raven and Jesse went for a walk to show him the rest of the property.

“You’re just happy to have me back so I can be put to work,” Jack joked, gently bumping his mom’s shoulder with his own.

She giggled at him, beginning to roll out dough. “I won’t deny that. The farm’s awfully lonely without you.”

“The chickens aren’t enough company?”

She smiled, turning back to the dinner she was preparing, Jack at her side.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Papa?” Jesse asked, knocking lightly at on the open door of his father’s room.

“Yeah?” Jack looked up from the book he held. He had found it still sitting on the table beside his bed, where he had last left it before he went off to join the military.

“How come you didn’t tell me about what’s it’s like here?” the teenager asked, stepping into the room. His eyes roamed, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Would you believe me if I told you it slipped my mind?”

“No.”

The edge of the bed dipped when Jesse crawled onto it.

Jack returned the book to his bedside, shifting his legs so his son would have more room to sit on the twin sized bed.

“I think about my parents a lot,” Jesse elaborated, looking up at his father. “And yours are so nice. Did… something happen?”

“We disagreed on what my future would be like. I over reacted and cut ties with them when I joined the military. Stupid decision, in hindsight.”

The boy nodded a little, face thoughtful. “Did they want you to run the farm?”

“For the most part. They at least wanted me to return to the farm to help them out after going to college if I had decided to go that route. When I told them I wanted to join the military, they were hesitant to let me go. I joined right when I turned eighteen, that didn’t really help anything either. They begged me to at least stay on the farm and work for a couple years to think about it more but, I didn’t want to.” Jack shrugged.

“Running a farm like this, it looks like fun. Lots of time enjoying the sun, not big enough to be overwhelmed. But it’s.... not fighting.”

“That’s true. It was great growing up here, but, I just got sick of it,” he explained. “Being stuck on a farm in a small town? That’s not for me.”

The boy stretched out on his back at the foot of the bed. “I’d love it here.”

Jack smiled. “I’ll have to remember to take you here more often, then.”

His son grinned at him before letting his eyes slide closed. He let out a content sigh, folding his hands behind his head.

Chuckling at his son’s antics, Jack nudged him in the side with his socked foot. “It’s late, you should go to sleep.”

He whined. “I’m not tired. I want to go back out to the barn but your parents said no.”

“We don't want you to trip over a chicken or calf in the dark, Jesse.”

“I can see in the dark better than that, Papa. I just wanted to see the cats.”

“You can see them tomorrow. Or maybe one of them will come inside for the night and cuddle with you.”

That brought back the teen’s smile. He rolled off the bed and back to his feet.

“ _Beunas noche, Papa._ ”

 _“Buenas noche.”_ Jack watched as Jesse exited the room, slowly closing the door behind him. Staring at the door for several moments, Jack laid down, closing his eyes in an attempt to block out all of the memories rushing back to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jack why are you like this?
> 
> thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments, your kudos, and bookmarks :D
> 
> you can find kenwave [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com) and TimelessTragedy [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com)


	14. Chapter 14

Morning came too early for his tastes; he was exhausted as he readied himself for the day. To his surprise when he made his way to the dining room, he found his son sitting with Raven at the table. Breakfast was already set out for them, a mug of steaming coffee beside his plate, however the two seemed to more interested in the book they were leaning over than the amazing smelling food.

“What do you got there?” he asked, sitting down at his spot, taking a sip of the blessed coffee in front of him. His moms remembered exactly how he liked it, he noted with a smile.

“A photo album,” Raven answered.

“Oh god, what embarrassing things are you showing my son?”

“Just pictures of you growing up.”

He grumbled, returning to his coffee. He would never hear the end of the teasing from both his parents and Jesse once they had finished going through that album. They kept flipping through it, talking softly to each other as she told him stories from when Jack was younger. The teenager quietly soaked up every word.

With a smile at the two, he finished his breakfast, going to help Michelle with the dishes. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Raven taking out another album to show Jesse.

“You should take him to town,” Michelle said.

“Do you need anything there?”

She shook her head. “I just thought he might like seeing it.”

Jack smiled. “He’ll enjoy it there.”

“When you get back, meet us out by the stables, alright? We have a surprise for him.”

Jack nodded, his grin growing brighter. He had an idea of what the surprise could be, and if he was right, Jesse would be over the moon with excitement.

His mother winked at him before slipping her hands back into the soapy water. “I can finish the rest.”

“You sure? Going into town can wait a bit longer.”

“Go have fun, Jackie, Raven can come help.”

“Alright. Let me know if you need me to pick up anything while I’m there.” He gave his mom a brief hug before handing his dishcloth over to Raven, who had entered the kitchen at the sound of her name. Telling her he’d see her later, he went to find his son who was standing in the hallway.

Jesse tore his gaze from the pictures lining the walls when Jack set his hand on his shoulder. “You look mighty happy in this one, Papa.”

Gently, he took the photograph off of its mount, a fond smile on his face. It was of him and his mothers when they had gone to the fall fair around his thirteenth birthday. The three of them were grinning, cotton candy in their hands. Raven was making bunny ears behind the heads of her wife and son.

Jesse leaned on his father’s side. “I like these kinds a photos of you. They’re more real than the ones out there now.”

He wrapped his arm around Jesse’s shoulder, pulling him in close. “You can tell those are staged. These ones were taken in the moment, which makes them more precious.”

“These ones ‘re better.”

Jack hummed in agreement. “They’re more genuine and have happier memories attached to them.”

“Not a fan of how Overwatch is bein’ run,” the teenager said, his tone sharpening. “They’re too involved, they’re not letting you run things your way.”

“There’s not much I’m able to do about it.” Jack shrugged.

“It’s _your_ team.”

He turned away from his son, frowning. “Only in name.”

“Then why do they need you at all?”

“They want someone for the public to trust. It would be easier for them to trust a war hero, wouldn’t it?”

“Then why not Gabe? Why did it have to be you? It doesn’t make a lick o’ sense.”

Ignoring the pang of disappointment he felt at his son’s words, Jack turned to face Jesse. “There are many things that are out of our control. Me being appointed as Strike-Commander of Overwatch was one of them, and I am still a witness to others. I don’t have much authority to say otherwise.”

Brown eyes fell, and he rubbed a hand over his face. “Papa…”

“Jesse, how would you like going to the town? I can show you all the places I hung out when I was younger.”

His son eyed him. “Alright.”

Jack ignored the look. “There will also be a surprise for you when we return, Jesse.”

“What kind of surprise?”

“A good one!”

A smile tugged at his son’s mouth.

With a nod, the two of them exited the house, Jack grabbing the keys as they went. Once they approached the beat up old truck, he unlocked the door. Jesse flashed him a grin as he climbed in.

“Any place you'd like to go?” Jack asked, turning on the engine and pulling out of the long driveway. The tires crunched against the gravel.

“I don’t know what’s around,” Jesse responded.

“A suggestion won't hurt.”

Jesse’s voice was playful. “Ice cream?”

Jack smiled. “Of course!”

The teenager reached over to play with the dials set into the console.

Blaring acoustic guitar filled the truck, accompanied by the sound of a male singing in a slow southern drawl. Jack cringed, his arm shot out to turn down the music.

“Not so loud, Jesse.”

The music slowly quieted, replaced instead with the teen’s laughter. “Aw, but Papa!”

“It’ll damage your ears.” There might not be much hope left for Jack’s hearing, but he could at least make sure that his son didn’t have to suffer from foolish decisions.

“ _That’s_ why you didn’t want it up?”

Jack shrugged. “Country music in the countryside isn’t as good as it sounds. It doesn’t even sound that good to begin with.”

“ _Papa_! You can’t be my Papa anymore.”

“I didn’t know family was decided based on music taste.” He laughed.

“Well you know now.” He flipped through the channels, finding a station his father would enjoy. He leaned back in his seat. “Anything else we’re doing in town?”

“I’d like to see how much everything has changed since I left.”

“How much could really change in just a couple years?”

Jack shot him a look out of the corner of his eyes. Jesse had no idea.

 

* * *

 

Stumbling out of the truck, ice cream in hand, Jack smiled at his son.

“So what’s that surprise, Papa?” Jesse asked, shutting the door as he stepped away from it.

His eyes sparkled. “You’ll have to wait until we get to the barn.”

“Are we bringing a kitten back?”

Jack laughed. “No. I don’t think we’d be able to get away with keeping a kitten on base.” He finished up his cone as they approached the barn, opening up the gates with his free hand to show his mothers putting saddles on two large mares.

Jesse gasped, his eyes grew wide.

“You’re going to learn how to ride a horse today!” Michelle stated, a large smile painting her features.

“I… get to ride…?” he breathed, a grin forming on his lips. He took a step closer.

“If that's alright with you.” Raven gently stroked the white mare's mane.

Jesse turned big brown eyes back on his father.

“Come on Jesse.” Jack smiled, walking up to the chestnut mare that was chewing an apple from Michelle's hand. He pat the horse on the nose, gently stroking his hand along her fur until he got to the saddle, pulling himself up onto it.

Jesse approached the other, taking hold of the pommel and tucking his foot into the stirrup. It was there that he paused, glancing at his dad.

“Swing your other leg over the saddle while pulling yourself up,” Jack advised.

“I got that, it's just…” he trailed off into half spoken Spanish.

“Need help?”

Determination settled on his features. “Nah. I got this.”

And Jesse heaved himself up with a grunt.

Jack snorted, watching his son struggle to balance himself on the saddle, one foot stuck in the stirrup while he held onto the pommel for dear life, slipping slowly sideways off of the poor mare.

“Papa-!”

Raven grabbed the boy’s leg, steadying him before he could truly injure himself, and pulled him back upright. Moving to his other side, she helped guide his foot to the other stirrup.

“There. Now, please. This one’s mine, don't let yourself get hurt on her. She'll feel guilty by tomorrow. Keep an eye on him, John, and have fun, alright?”

“Yes, Ma.” Jack turned his horse around, moving out of the barn, waiting for Jesse to follow after.

His son gasped a little, and he heard his mother laugh, before hooves clicked after him.

Jack grinned at Jesse, watching as he handled the reins and lead the horse with some awkwardness at first, but quickly washing away to confidence. A triumphant grin on his son's face. The teen made the white mare go into a trot, catching up to the blond.

“Look, Papa!”

Jack turned to face him, a smile on his face, hair reflecting the sunlight. “Nice job, Jesse. You’re a fast learner.”

“Hey, Papa? I… wanted to ask you something.”

The smile faded from Jack’s face; Jesse’s tone had become serious. “Go ahead.”

“You had long hair in a lot of those pictures your mom was showing me…”

“I did.”

“Papa?” he pressed gently, hands tangling in the reins.

The grip Jack had on the soft leather tightened, his fingers digging into the material. He knew he had to tell Jesse, but a foolish part of him believed the boy could go his entire life without knowing. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly through his nose.

“I’m trans. The pictures where I had longer hair was when I was too scared to cut it short. I didn’t know what my mothers would even think if I did that.” He avoided looking at Jesse’s face, nerves buzzing.

“Trans?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah.” He shuffled on the saddle. “Do you not know what it means?”

“No… _no sé._ ”

“The gender I was born as... it didn’t match up with how I saw myself. So I did what I could to be comfortable with who I am.”

Jesse was quiet.

The silence was stifling. Jack’s posture was rigid.

The horse clicked closer, and a warm hand was wrapping itself around his.

“Papa…”

Jack squeezed the smaller hand within his own, the tension slowly oozing from his body at the small gesture. “I’m sorry. I never know what reaction I could get.”

“Can we keep riding?”

“Yes… of course.” Jack smiled weakly at Jesse before he turned to face the path in front of them.

Jesse took off ahead, but looked back toward his father. “You’re still my Papa.”

“That’s all I could hope for.”

The boy smiled.

 

* * *

 

“Are you sure you have to leave so soon?” Michelle asked, her eyes wet as Jack and his son pulled on their boots and shoes.

“That’s all the leave I was able to get. I have to get back to work.” Jack explained, a note of disdain in his voice. Back to reality. Back to acting like he had command over Overwatch when he knew he didn’t. Shaking his head, he emptied those thoughts from his mind.

Long arms wrapped around Michelle as Jack hugged her tightly, pulling her small frame close to him.

“Please, Jack, be careful. Take care of yourself, and Jesse too.”

“I will, Mom. Who do you take me for?” he joked.

She offered him his bag when he pulled back.

Placing the bag on his back, he turned to Raven, giving her a peck on the cheek. “Bye Ma.”

“We’d love to get a message from you every once in awhile,” she told him.

Scratching the back of his neck, Jack let out a nervous laugh. “I’ll see what I can do without having most of it get redacted.”

“Tell us about Jesse. That should get through.”

“I can do that.” He smiled.  

“I’ll make sure of that,” Jesse piped up. “I don’t want to, but we should go.”

Sighing heavily, Jack slung one of his bags over his shoulder, taking the other from Raven who was holding it out toward him. “He's right. We have a flight to catch.”

“Nice to meet y’all.”

“It was wonderful to meet you, Jesse. Such a treat!” Michelle lightly pinched the teen's cheek playfully before pulling him into a hug. The boy whined, returning the hug.

“Papa will have to bring me back some time.”

“He better!” Raven nudged Jack's shoulder. He shuffled and gave a bit of a smile before taking a step toward the door. His son got the hint and followed.

“Thank you for everything, and having us on such short notice.”

After a final round of hugs and kisses, much to the apparent disdain of Jesse, they finally piled themselves into the cab that Michelle had called for them. Jack stared out the window, watching corn fields fly by as the car moved across the flat terrain, the yellow sun beating down on the dusty roads.

He would miss the leisure that staying at home brought him, the peace of mind he was finally given, but he had to get back to Overwatch. Back to taking orders and regurgitating them to the soldiers and scientists underneath him.

Glancing toward Jesse, his heart broke. He’d have to sacrifice spending time with his son to get the work done. He’d already missed out on seeing him grow into a teenager. He didn’t want to miss anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No sé - I don't know 
> 
> Sorry for this being a bit late, it's finals season so we're a bit stressed. If any of you are going through finals right now, the best of luck to you all! 
> 
> Also, considering we'll probably have to address this, Jack is pretty comfortable with who he is but he doesn't feel necessary to tell other people that he's trans. He does trust his mothers enough to disclose the information to people he knows they trust. He has a great deal of trust in them when it comes to this since they readily accepted him when he came out and supported his transition. It's the reason why they have pictures of him before he had come out in the album and why they had shown them to Jesse.
> 
> The story will go up in rating next chapter.
> 
> If any of you are interested, kenwave can be found [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy can be found [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/) !


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fic goes up in rating because there is a sex scene toward the end of the chapter. If you don't want to read it, once you get to "Gabriel grabbed the front of his shirt" skip until you see "there was a knock at the door". Or you can use ctrl + f and type in that phrase to skip to it.

Cold, tired, dirty, lonely, stomach rumbling, Jack slowly made his way over to the cafeteria. The mission was a bust. A false lead that ended with his team walking right into a trap; he’d lost two good soldiers.

It was a stark difference from the missions he had gone on earlier on, where everything went down perfectly, almost eerily so. It set off warning signs in his head; nothing should have been that easy, and now it was proving him right.

As he entered the bustling cafeteria, he dismissed those thoughts, putting on his Strike-Commander façade so none of his subordinates knew how he was actually feeling. They couldn’t find their fearless leader was a mess. He couldn’t betray them like that.

A man wearing a chef’s hat offered him a plate of food rich in nutrients. Jack took it with a “thanks”, searching for a pathway out of the sea of people. He wanted nothing more than to hole himself away in his office as he filled out post mission reports and dealt with the papers that had undoubtedly piled up while he was away. However, a familiar hat caught his attention from the corner of the large room.

A tired smile painted his features as he made his way towards his son, a welcome sight.

“Jesse,” he called, making his son jolt in surprise and scramble to his feet.

“Papa! You’re back early!” The fourteen year old paused, studying his face. “Are… you alright?”

“Miller and Dravis are dead.”

Jesse’s face went slack. “Aw, shit… Not them…”

Jack nodded, sitting in the free spot beside his son. “The mission was a trap. We were given a false lead.”

Jesse leaned into him. “I'm sorry.”

A sharp, acrid smell filled his senses, his nose crinkled in disgust. “Jesse…”

The boy looked up.

“What's that smell?”

“What smell?” was the hesitant reply.

“Cigarette smoke.”

Jesse paled.

“Jesse McCree Morrison, why do you smell like cigarette smoke?” His voice was hard, food forgotten.

"I-I, uh... was hanging around with some of the soldiers while you were gone."

Jack frowned, mulling over what Jesse had said. The hesitation of his answer made the blond less inclined to believe his son. Coupled with the fact he had slowly noticed the smell start to cling to the teenager more and more, it was getting harder for him to ignore what his enhanced senses told him.

Jesse pulled away from him. "I can get a shower if it's bothering you."

"Just... Please be honest with me, Jesse."

"Only if you're honest with me first. Are you in love with him?" Jesse responded, brown eyes narrowing.

Jack's mouth dropped open, arms crossing in front of him. "What does that have to do with anything!?"

"Do you?" he pressed, anger beginning to lace his tone.

"Why does it matter if I love him if he hates me?" Jack looked away, voice getting louder. "Are you happy to hear that? Are you happy to finally find out how pathetic your father actually is?" His breathing became harsh.

“Because he doesn’t hate you!”

"How am I supposed to believe my _son_ who's been lying to me?!"

Jesse's hands balled into fists. "You don't _pay attention_. Not to me, not to Gabe, not to anyone!"

The words stung in their honesty. "I have an entire organization to run, I have to make sacrifices!" It's the same excuse he'd been telling himself for years no matter how much it tore him apart.

"So you're willing to sacrifice _me_? You've stopped spending time with me, I have to take care of you, you're isolating more than just yourself! Are you going to do the same thing to me that you did to your mothers?"

His mouth opened and closed. "I - no - that's not -"

" _Stop lying_."

"This is different!"

"How is it different?! You're lying to yourself!"

"... I'm trying..."

Jesse turned away from him. "I don't want to be here anymore. I hate it here."

"You don't mean that."

" _Si._ I do."

Jack shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm going for a walk," the teen said, pulling a small bag of cigarettes from his pocket. He met Jack's eyes.

Jack reached out his hand toward Jesse. "At least... give me the cigarettes. You don't need those, they can kill you."

"I don't _care_."

His voice was hard. "Jesse."

"I hate you! You're not even my real dad!"

The teen took off.

The pure venom behind Jesse's words was like a slap to his face. He faltered where he stood as he watched the teen disappear in the crowd that had gathered, their eyes staring at him.

"What are you all looking at? Don't you have a job to do?" he snarled.

Gazes snapped away instantly, leaving him alone and aching. He abandoned his food and made his way to the one place that might bring him comfort: Gabriel's office.

 

* * *

 

There were tears in his eyes, blurring his vision. His head was spinning by the time he reached their quarters, opening the door and stepping inside. He leaned back against the door as a sob was wrenched from chest and he screamed.

He slid down to sit, burying his face in his arms. He sat there awhile with his heart pounding in his ears and his cheeks and eyes burning until he gathered the will to return to his feet and go to his room. He dug through his desk for a paper and pen and started writing; in his rushed and muddled mind, he wasn't sure if he'd been writing the whole note in English or not.

He signed it with a sloppy attempt at his signature and folded it, already starting for the hall.

He kept his head down until he reached the room he was looking for, punching in the code for the door he'd been given years ago, and slipped in as soon as it slid open. He stepped over the odd can or bottle strewn about the floor, nudging aside a few discarded shirts and bits of armor or tools on his way to the desk. He set the paper on the cluttered desk, propping it up against a photograph of the members of Overwatch.

Unseen, he left the room behind. With one last stop back to his room to gather a few things he needed, and pausing to fold his blanket neatly and leave it and the hat on his father's bed, he left the base for the final time.

 

* * *

 

The world felt like it was closing in on him, his vision blurred as he rushed out of the cafeteria, away from the prying eyes of what felt like every single Overwatch agent.  

He knew he wasn't Jesse's real father, never tried to be. But hearing those words, hearing the anger in Jesse's voice as he brought some of Jack's worst fears to light, it stung. 

Burying his face in his knees, he grabbed onto his hair, trying to make himself as small as possible as he sat outside the door to Gabriel's office. He didn't know how many people had walked past, seeing him like this, but at this point, he didn't care.

Another set of footsteps came toward him, though these stopped, and a moment later warmth was settling on his shoulder and knees popped as someone crouched.

"Jack?"

Jack looked up, eyes struggling to focus on the man crouching in front of him. Despite not seeing him clearly, he knew exactly who it was.

"Gabe."

"What're you doing out here?"

“I messed up.”

A single brow raised, and with it the corner of Gabriel's mouth. "Messed up how?"

“He hates me.”

That earned him a frown. “He?”

“Jesse.”

Dark eyes darted away before returning to his face. "Let's talk inside."

Jack nodded, slowly standing up from his hunched over position on the floor, joints cracking as form straightened. He was guided inside and made to sit on the other side of Gabriel's new desk. He accepted the chair, immediately plopping into it, his head returned to his hands.

"So, _mi amigo_ , what happened?"

"We got into an argument. I'm an awful father."

“Kids rebel, part of growing up.”

"This is more than that. It sounded like he was keeping in a lot of frustration toward me. From the sounds of it, I deserve to be hated."

Gabriel frowned. "What'd he say?"

"That I don't pay attention. That I'm probably going to cut him out of my life like I did with my parents."

"You agree with him?"

"I told him it was different with him. That I wouldn't do that. He didn't believe me."

The man sighed. "Shit, Jack, you're an idiot. Go sit and watch a movie with him or something."

"I doubt a movie will fix it."

Annoyed, he asked, "Then what do you think will, Commander?"

"I don't know, Gabe. I really don't."

"What do you want me to say, Jack? Why're you here?"

"I don't know." He started to choke up. Going directly to Gabriel was the first reaction he had, a habit he had gotten into long before when both of them had been in the Soldier Enhancement Program together. "I'm sorry."

Gabriel softened and moved to stand in front of Jack before crouching, looking up into blue eyes. Jack averted his eyes from the dark brown filling his vision.

"I've... had enough of this bullshit. We need to talk, _Jackie boy_."

 

* * *

 

It had been a long day, Reinhardt ached in places he didn't remember aching in before but those were the joys of aging. All he wanted to do was crack open a beer, but he was distracted by the murmurs he overhead in the halls.

He paused to listen, frowning to himself as he picked up pieces of a story he didn't want to hear from the soldiers of Overwatch. Jesse and Jack had fought? That didn't sound good…

Eventually he made it to his room, unlocking the door and propping up hammer next to it.

There was a skin tingling sensation that someone had been in there before him that washed over him within seconds of stepping inside and he did a quick sweep of his room to see if anything had been taken or added.

Nothing appeared to be missing. The only things that were visibly out of place were several cans which looked as if they had been stepped on. Venturing further into his quarters, he noticed an innocent looking piece of paper sitting beside a framed picture. One of his most treasured possessions.

He picked it up gingerly, unfolding the partially crumbled paper and read it over, his eyes widening. He sat down on his bed, reading it a second time, not believing his eyes.

Jesse couldn't have run away, it wasn't possible. He wouldn't have just _left_ , would he?

But... He had been coming over to visit Reinhardt more and more whenever his father was busy which had become increasingly more often.

And the boy had been getting quieter lately as well, often just asking him to recount tales of adventures that had him talking for long periods while the teen sat with his cheek resting on raised knees.

But even if he had decided that he'd had enough and needed to leave, why leave the letter with him? Why not Jack's desk, or even Gabriel's? Had the boy even told his father?

He grabbed the paper, swiftly walking out of his quarters, heading toward Jack's to see if the letter was just done in a fit of pure emotion, that Jesse just stormed outside for an hour then came back.

He found the room locked. He knocked loudly against the metal door only to get no response, the room empty of its inhabitants.

He paced outside a moment. The other option was Jack's office. And if he wasn't in there... Maybe they would be with Ana and Fareeha. If not, he would be running out of luck. The only option after Ana was the least likeliest with how Gabriel and Jack were currently acting around each other, but it wasn't an impossibility.

Maybe having someone to assist him with his search wouldn't be a bad idea…

Mulling it over for a moment, he finally made a decision. He would ask Reyes to help look for the two. If anyone could find them, it would be him.

 

* * *

 

"What are we doing now?" Jack responded dryly.

Gabriel settled for scowling.

The impressive dip of his eyebrows made Jack sigh heavily. He knew there was too much baggage between the two of them, too many things they had neglected to tell each other. A talk between the two of them was a long time coming.

“We can talk.”

“Are we gonna keep up this shit where we’re acting like children avoiding each other?”

“We keep yelling when we’re not.”

Brown eyes were rolled. _“Jack_.”

“I know - I - I don’t have an excuse for it.”

Gabriel sighed, scrubbing his face with a hand. “My fault too, I guess.”

“I’d do things differently, if I were able to. I just - I’m overwhelmed by everything, Gabe.”

“Can I help?”

“I don’t know how you’d be able to.”

“I’ve got an idea.”

He shifted in his seat. “What is it?”

Gabriel grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down into a bruising kiss.

Jack’s eyes widened in shock, a kiss the last thing he expected from the man in front of him. His first instinct was to flinch away, one he couldn’t blame himself for, living as a soldier. After a moment, he melted into it, losing himself to the kiss.

Shifting so he was on his knees, Gabriel’s hand slowly fell from the man’s shirt, moving instead to his hip to pull him closer.

Pale hands travelled towards Gabriel’s short hair, rubbing circles into his scalp as Jack allowed himself be positioned comfortably. His companion used the opening that was given to him, undoing the belt about his waist, letting it fall aside before working at freeing Jack of his pants and undergarments. Slowly, he took off the boots that fit snugly against Jack’s legs, taking his socks off next, fingers brushing lightly against his skin.

Once he was freed from the dark blue fabric from around his hips, Jack moved his legs from the floor to rest against Gabriel’s shoulders.

Gabriel leaned forward, testing the waters by touching the newly exposed skin along the insides of Jack’s thighs. They trembled under the soft touch of Gabriel’s fingertips, sensitive from the anticipation. Having someone else’s hands tracing along his inner thighs felt amazing. He breathed out a shaky sigh.

“Are you ready?” Gabriel asked, watching his face for any sign to stop.

Jack looked down at the man, flush high on his cheeks. “Yes. Please, Gabe.”

He moved, starting to touch Jack around his opening, gently at first before sliding his finger inside.

Slowly, Jack rocked down onto it, huffing quietly once it was fully inside of him before moving his hips to create friction. Gabriel helped, moving his finger, exploring, touching, before sliding it out completely, slick and wet.

Jack groaned unhappily once the finger was removed, hooking his legs around Gabriel’s neck, nudging him closer, wanting him to continue.

The darker man chuckled, “Eager, are you?”

He replaced the finger with his tongue, tasting him.

Jack groaned in pleasure, tightening his thighs around Gabriel’s head, grinding lightly against his face.

“You don’t want to know the last time I’ve had sex.” Jack laughed airily.

The other man snorted, his hands curling into Jack’s legs.

“Shut up.” Jack’s full retort got cut off by a moan when Gabriel focused his attention on his dick. The other man stroked along Jack’s thighs as he sucked and ran his tongue along places that had Jack squirming.

His breathing became heavier as his pleasure reached its peak, rocking into each swipe and thrust of Gabriel’s tongue. He gasped and groaned, his hands in the darker man’s short hair. His body spasmed as waves of pleasure had him completely at Gabe’s mercy.

Gabriel pulled away when Jack began to tremble from overstimulation, mouth slick and wet, pleased grin on his face.

A calmness Jack hadn’t felt in ages descended over his body, along with joy. Shaking, he removed his legs from Gabriel’s neck, a serene smile on his face. Before Gabriel could clean the mess from his mouth, Jack slid slowly from the chair and pulled him in for a heated kiss tasting himself on Gabe’s lips, cleaning him with his tongue.

Gabriel moaned for him. Jack smirked against his lips, hands moving downward to the darker man’s pants, pulling down the fly.

“Are you sure?”

He grinned. “As long as you’re okay with it.”

Gabriel pulled him in for another kiss.

Enjoying the kiss, Jack’s hand moved of its own accord, pulling the man’s hard shaft from his pants, tugging at the base before moving his hand to the tip.

He arched into Jack’s touch, making a sound into the other man’s mouth.

Jack used the opportunity to move his tongue into Gabriel’s mouth, exploring. Dark hands curled into his hips, fingers tightening until they dug into his fair skin.

Smiling once more against Gabriel’s mouth, Jack broke the kiss, resting his forehead against the other man’s as he started to stroke the head of his cock, twisting his wrist.

He gasped and shuddered, resting his forehead against Jack’s shoulder.

Revelling in the responses he was pulling out of Gabriel made Jack remove his hand from his cock, licking it. He returned his hand to Gabriel’s hard shaft, stroking it faster, his hand moving easier with the lubricant his saliva provided. Gabriel rocked into it, desperate, nails leaving marks on the blond.

He focused his thumb around the head, Gabriel’s moans getting louder. Jack kissed him on the forehead, trailing his lips down to the man’s neck, sucking a mark under his chin.

“ _Jack_ …”

Jack hummed, biting and sucking a bruise beside the one blooming beneath his chin, speeding up the strokes of his hand.

When Gabriel came, it was all over his hand.

Grinning lewdly, Jack brought the hand up to his mouth, licking up Gabriel’s release, cleaning it from his hand.

“God _damn_ …” Gabriel breathed.

Jack chuckled. “Like what you see?”

His companion grinned and pulled him closer, capturing his lips once more. Jack gently nibbled on his lower lips, goatee tickling his face. He cradled Gabriel’s head within his hands, eyes closed, the kiss becoming soft and tender.

There was a knock on the door that made them pull apart.

Shooting Gabriel a quizzical look, he carefully fixed his appearance, smoothing out his dishevelled hair. He tucked Gabriel back into his pants, rubbing his fingers against the hickies he kissed into his skin, blush rising on his face as he realised that there would be no way Gabriel would be able to hide them.

“Dumbass,” the man said fondly, running his fingers through the blond hair of his partner to mess it up before calling out it was open.

Reinhardt stepped inside.

“Hello, Reinhardt,” Jack greeted, face slightly flushed at the realisation he had probably heard them. The large man shuffled from foot to foot, not meeting either of their eyes.

“What's up?” Gabriel asked, slinging an arm around Jack’s shoulders. Jack rolled his eyes.

Reinhardt cleared his throat, an innocent piece of paper crumpled in his large hands. “Jesse’s gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: I realised it might be confusing, but Jack refers to his clit as his dick... because that's what it is. 
> 
> Thanks for sticking with us for so long!
> 
> You can find kenwave [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/)


	16. Chapter 16

It felt like he had been dumped into ice water, any good feelings he had felt from earlier gone in a flash.

“What?”

Reinhardt held out the letter hesitantly.

Jack took it from his hands, smoothing it out before looking at its contents. Eyes flying over the page, his breathing picked up with each word he read. Each fear and worry of not being a good enough father finally confirmed in the worst way possible in the mix of English and Spanish that was hastily scribbled on the page.

A hand gently settled on his shoulder, Gabriel reading over his shoulder. “Jesse… What have you done, kid…? We’ll find him, sweetheart, we’re Overwatch; he can't hide.”

He barely understood what Gabriel had said, he couldn’t move. It felt like his throat was closing, preventing him from breathing.

“Jack, come on, say something.”

He shook his head, the words were stuck in his throat. He was pulled to sit down, and Gabriel crouched in front of him while Reinhardt fidgeted by the door.

Focusing on his breathing to quiet his thoughts, he grabbed his pant legs, fingers tightly grasping the dark material.

Gabriel turned his face toward Reinhardt but he kept his eyes on Jack. “Where’s Ana?”

“I believe she’s in her room with Fareeha.”

“Go get her.”

A curt nod was given to him before Reinhardt took off, his large frame almost getting caught in the door as he quickly made his way out of the office.

Gabriel set his hands on Jack’s shoulders.

“I failed.” Jack’s voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.

“No, you didn't. He couldn't have gone far.”

Jack frowned. “And what’s going to happen when we find him? He’s still going to hate me.”

“We'll talk to him. We can fix this, _corazón._ ”

“What if everything’s too broken to be fixed?”

“Nothing ever is.”

“I can’t do this anymore.”

“Jack… You have me...”

He started to tremble, burying his face into Gabriel’s hoodie, pulling him into a tight embrace.

“I’m a shit father, a shit Strike-Commander, and a shit friend. I can’t do this.”

The response was wry. “Maybe you won't be a shit boyfriend.”

A weak laugh was his response.

Gabriel shifted to reach Jack’s face, giving him a soft kiss before sighing.

“We’ll find him, Jack. We'll bring him back safe. He wouldn't know how to get very far. We'll check the cameras, see which way he went.”

Jack nodded, exhaling shakily, eyes closed in a foolish attempt to make everything go away.

The door was opened once more, Ana rushing into the room while Reinhardt trailed in behind her. Immediately, her eyes went to Jack, the man hunched into Gabriel, she moved toward them.

“Oh, Jack, Reinhardt told me what happened…” She knelt beside Gabriel, taking a pale hand in hers, looking up into the dull blue eyes.

“Ana… what do I do?”

“We start by finding him,” she said gently, holding his hand tightly.

He nodded, squeezing her hand to ground himself. He hoped they would be able to find Jesse. He needed to apologise to him for everything: for not being there when Jesse needed him most, for being an awful father.

“Maybe he will be back on his own,” Reinhardt offered kindly, though it was hardly convincing when his own voice wavered uncertainly.

“I don’t want him to be cold and hungry. What if he gets lost? What if he gets attacked by someone?” Jack’s mind provided him with every worst case scenario it could come up with.

“He’s a clever boy,” Ana reminded. “He’ll know to seek shelter if it’s raining, or find food if he’s hungry.”

“If he gets hungry enough he’ll come back. He won’t be able to leave twice,” Gabriel added.

“I hope you’re both right. I hope he comes home.”

“He still loves you.”

He shot her a disbelieving look before standing up, swaying slightly on his feet. “I don’t want to sit around any longer while Jesse’s out there. I need to start looking for him.”

His friends stood with him, Ana touching his shoulder. “Jack… You should rest, we can start the search.”

“I don’t need to rest, I need to find Jesse.”

“I’ll go with him,” Gabriel said. “We’ll search for a few hours.”

Not waiting for anyone else to respond, Jack pushed past Ana and Reinhardt, leaving the office, duster billowing out behind him. Footsteps rushed after him.

“Jack!”

“What?” He continued his brisk pace.The more time that passed putting a greater distance between himself and Jesse.

Gabriel caught up, matching his strides to Jack’s. “You have a plan?”

“My plan is to find him.”

“ _How?_ Wandering blind’s gonna do shit.”

“How else are we going to find him? What plan is going to work he could be anywhere?”

“We set up a grid, send the others to sweep the other sectors while we do a thorough search of our own.”

Jack paused slightly, considering Gabriel’s plan. He was right, wandering in blind wouldn’t do anything. After a moment, he nodded. “Fine. We’ll do that.”

Gabriel fished his phone from his pocket, shooting Ana a text. “We’ll start with where he’s most likely to go, and give the others directions from there. I’ll pull up a map, and we can block out the search areas for each team.”

Chewing on his lip, Jack nodded. He didn't want to wait for everything to get planned out, but Gabriel was good at what he did. He had found people with less to go off of.

"Do you have any idea where he'd be most likely to run to?" Gabriel asked, not looking up.

"He enjoyed exploring downtown."

"Then that's where we'll go. We'll send people out to monitor the stations, should he try to leave the city."

"Sounds reasonable."

"Ana's gathering people now." Gabriel looked up. "We can go."

"I trust Ana to put together a good search team." Jack met Gabriel's eyes, blue ones holding a look of hard determination that hadn’t been seen in ages. "We have to bring him home."

"And we _will._ He's still just a kid, Jack, I doubt he's gonna make it far before we find him."

"He's smart, and resourceful. He was really mad at me, Gabe, if he's desperate enough..."

"Does he know how to get from one city to another without having the purchases of tickets be tracked back to him? Does he know how to avoid being noticed by the cameras? Or how to manage his resources so he doesn't run out of money? Or even where he's going?"

"If he knows to pay with cash he can buy tickets without being tracked. I told him to be careful with leaving tracks when he was younger and I was scared someone would track me or him to get to us."

"How much cash does he have?"

Nervously, Jack looked away, fiddling with the blue gauntlets around his wrists.

Gabriel frowned.

“Jack…?”

"I tended to give him a good amount of money each week for allowance. I have too much of it so I thought it would be good to give some to Jesse for him to save up."

" _Shit_..." Gabriel ran his hand over his hair with a groan. "We better find him before he leaves the city."

" _I know_." Jack ground his teeth. "We planned all sorts of precautions in case something were to happen to the Watchpoint or if someone was out for either of us." Jack let out a bitter laugh. "Guess the only good it did was to give Jesse everything he needs to successfully run away."

"Stop thinking like that, kid. We better get movin', we got a lot of ground to cover."

"Easier said than done."

Gabriel held out a hand.

Hesitantly, Jack took it, letting the warm, calloused hand give him comfort. The darker man rubbed his thumb over Jack's knuckles. Hand in hand, they started to walk.

 

* * *

 

The sun had long since set when Gabriel finally called off the search. They had been out for hours looking for Jesse, but to no avail. The boy was gone. They returned to the base with heavy hearts as they promised Jack they would continue the search in the morning. Reinhardt offered to go out to put up posters with Torbjörn while Gabriel said he'd put out a call to the police force.

He nodded sluggishly, the events of the day had finally hit him. He was exhausted.

"You should rest," said Ana, her arm around his shoulders.

"Yeah." Jack leaned into her touch. "How am I going to tell my moms? We visited them not too long ago."

"You should call them, tell them yourself so they don't get the news from another source."

He nodded. "And there could be a small chance he's contacted them. He seemed interested in living on a farm."

"Would he know the way back to them?"

"I don't know. I gave him their number though."

"I'd give them a call right away, then."

"Yeah." He pulled out his cellphone, checking it for the first time that night, hoping that maybe Jesse had sent him a message. But there was nothing. With a frown he dialed Michelle's number, knowing she was the one who would most likely answer right away.

And he was right, for she picked up the call after a ring, and he was able to hear the muffled sound of someone else in the kitchen.   
“ _Jackie_?"

"M-Mom." His composure finally broke when he heard her voice, finally choking up, tears filling his eyes.

" _Oh, what’s wrong_?" she asked, worry in her tone. He could picture her clutching the phone too tightly, could see her rushing to the kitchen to her wife's side.

"Jesse's _gone_."

There was a pause. " _Gone? John, what do you mean_?”

"He ran away! We got into an argument and he was furious with me. Did he contact you in any way?"

" _No, we haven't heard anything... Oh, Jack_..."

The tears finally fell from his eyes that he had managed to keep at bay. "Mom, what do I do?”

" _I... I wish I knew, Jack... If we hear anything at all, we'll let you know right away._ "

"Thank you, Mom."

“ _I hope he comes home soon, let us know the second you find him.”_

“I’ll call you if we find anything.” He disconnected the call, slowly unlocking the door to his shared quarters with Jesse. Knowing  that the teen wouldn’t be there to greet him made his heart hurt.

He turned on the lights, eyes moving automatically to the closed door of his son’s room, before he went to his own.

As soon as he turned on the light, the sight of Jesse’s hat and blanket filled his vision, folded neatly on his bed, hat placed on top of it.

His heart stopped.

The blanket and hat were Jesse’s two most precious items, the fact that he left them behind where Jack could easily find them said everything. He moved toward his bed, plopping himself down next to them. He picked up the hat, touching the brim and the symbol at the front, running his thumb over the metal.

Curling around the hat, he laid down on his bed, wrapping the blanket around himself. He had messed up so drastically, and now he’d have to deal with the ramifications of his neglect.

He played with the soft fabric, tears catching on his eyelashes then rolling down his nose.

Utterly destroyed, he cried himself to sleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about this chapter being a bit late, the holiday festivities and business got the best of us and TimelessTragedy is dead (not really, she has a cold or something.) 
> 
> Thank you so much for all the comments, kudos, and bookmarks <3 we really appreciate hearing from you guys and it honestly makes our day that much better. And also an even bigger thank you to [hinoart](http://hinoart.tumblr.com/) for drawing us some more fanart! We're still grinning so much from it, you can find it [here](http://hinoart.tumblr.com/post/154660443902/another-the-burning-fire-fanart-fic-ao3-by) and you should totally reblog it if you haven't already <3 <3 <3
> 
> You can find kenwave [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and you can find TimelessTragedy [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/)


	17. Chapter 17

His coat flared behind him as he paced back and forth, briefing the UN about what had happened since their last meeting. He gave them updates on the different divisions of the organisation, explaining how the medical sector found itself at a standstill with new technology, hitting a roadblock, while Gabriel was training a fresh bout of new recruits. 

But the words started to fail him. 

He slowly came to a stop, letting his eyes wander the ground before he turned to the table, looking into the lense of the camera he had been speaking into. 

“I can’t do this anymore.” 

There were gasps from the diplomats, their expressions ranging from rage to shock. 

“Mr. Morrison. You don’t have a choice.” 

“Am I a commander or your puppet? Due to my current circumstances I am unable to continue with my current position to the best of my ability. I have given my all to this organisation only to make constant sacrifices. I have lost friends and family, been injured, while you sit in your offices using me like I’m a plaything. Find someone else to lead because  _ I am done. _ ”

“You agreed to do this, when you took this position.”

“I did. But I didn't agree to...to being a neglectful father. I didn't agree to have my son run away. I didn't agree to losing my closest friend because of this too.” Jack’s breathing was heavy, hands gripping the table that was in front of him. “All because you are unwilling to let me have time to myself. To be myself.”

“If you leave, you are a traitor, Morrison. You know that.”

“I'm not betraying anyone. I'm stepping down.” 

“Morrison-!”

His pistol soon filled the view of the camera for a brief moment before he pulled the trigger, the small device shattering under the force of the bullet. Soldiers came running, a few calling out to him.

Cold blue eyes passed over the men and women rushing toward him, checking to see if he was okay. Ignoring them, he pushed past heading toward the solace that was his own quarters. 

“Jack?” 

Pausing, he turned toward the source of the voice to meet the familiar face of Ana. She jogged to catch up with him, her eyes filled with worry. 

“Jack, I heard the gunshot, are you hurt?” 

“No. I’m fine.” 

“What happened?” 

“I quit.” 

Her eyes widened, her hand going to her mouth. After a moment she nodded. "I... had wondered when you would."

"I did it in the middle of a meeting. I... shot the camera."

It made her laugh. "You men are so dramatic."

He rolled his eyes. "You say that as if you haven't done anything dramatic before."

"I've never shot a camera in a meeting with important men and women who control the future of this organization." Her expression softened. "I think you were wise to quit."

"I'm too tired, Ana. I couldn't keep up with being the face of Overwatch." He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling loudly.

"And this will give you time to search for Jesse. I... can't believe it's been three months already..."

"I know..." He slumped over. "I wish I had done this sooner. Maybe then... Maybe then Jesse would still be here."

She set her hand on his shoulder gently, squeezing. "Do not give up hope."

"I don't think I can." He leaned into her touch, welcoming the comfort it brought to him.

"That's the spirit. Would you like to come spend the day with Fareeha and I?" she asked, offering him a smile.

Smiling weakly at her, he nodded. Spending time with Fareeha and going along with her shenanigans would be able to take his mind off of everything, and a good opportunity to catch up with the girl he hadn't had the opportunity to see in God knew how long.

He allowed her to link her arm through his and guide him down the hall. She told him about how her daughter was excelling in school as they walked, and about the trip she had planned for their little family to go on in a month when her turn to take time off came up.

Jack smiled a genuine smile at the news. He was glad Ana was able to get some time off with Fareeha, she was an extremely hard working woman who definitely deserved it.

"You could always join us," she said.

"I wouldn't want to impose. It's time for you and Fareeha to spend together."

"You're practically family, Jack. At least consider it, alright? I'm sure Gabriel would be alright with you leaving for a week."

"I don't know, Ana. I'm already in deep enough trouble with the UN..."

"Gabriel and I will get you out of trouble, leave it to us."

Hesitantly, he nodded. “I’ll think about it.” 

“That’s all I ask.” 

"I really appreciate it, Ana. Thank you."

"You should let Gabriel know before he finds out about what you did from the others," she said, switching topics as she opened the door to her quarters.

Sighing heavily, he entered. "I should. When I leave I'll stop by his office and let him know."

“Good. Coffee?” 

“Please.”

She got him settled with a warm cup of coffee and something to eat, and before long Fareeha had joined them on the couch. He stayed for the rest of the day with them, watching movies and feeling as at home as he possibly could.

When he finally checked the time, he realised he would have to tell Gabriel what he had done, if the news hadn't reached him already. He didn't want to leave the comfortable and warm atmosphere of Ana and Fareeha's quarters, but he did promise Ana he'd tell Gabe.

He left after saying goodbye, reluctantly heading for his friend's office.

Once in front of the familiar door, he rapped his knuckles against it.

Gabriel opened it himself, raising a brow at the sight of Jack. "Was wondering when you were gonna show up."

"Did you hear?" He stepped inside the office.

"Didn't peg you as a vandal."

Jack scoffed. "What else could I have done to get the point across?"

"They've been calling non stop," Gabriel said, amusement in his voice as he made his way back to his desk, sitting on the edge of it, smirking at the blond. "You proved your point."

"Well they ain't going to get a response from me."

“What set you off?” 

“They said I couldn’t step down. Wanted to brand me a traitor.” 

He snorted. “You? Traitor? I don’t see it.” 

Jack crossed his arms. “Apparently.”

“They’re gonna hound me about this until you answer their call, you know that right?” 

He sighed heavily. “I’m tired, Gabe. I don’t know if I’d be able to answer them.”

“This’s about Jesse, isn’t it?”

The silence that descended upon the room was deafening, the non-answer enough of a response.

Gabriel sighed softly, scrubbing a hand over his face. He closed his eyes for a moment before meeting Jack’s. “Are you leaving? Is that why you quit?” 

“No. I’m not leaving. Just stepping down, away from the public eye.”

“I don’t want you to be the next one that runs,  _ cariño _ .”

Exhausted, he sat down in front of the desk. “I won’t, Gabe. And where would I go if I did? I’d be a wanted man.”

Dark eyes slid away. “That the only thing keeping you here? The fact you’d be wanted?” 

Jack watched the man in front of him, knew exactly what he meant with his line of questioning. They had been avoiding this talk for ages. His piercing blue eyes focused on Gabriel.“No, it’s not the only thing keeping me here.” 

“Look, Jack…” 

Jack’s gaze went to the floor, not wanting the darker man to perfectly see his face when he knew from that tone he would most likely leave the room upset.

“Is… this what you want?” Gabriel asked hesitantly. “Are you ready for this?” 

“I… want to be with you, Gabe. But we have years of us ignoring each other between us. And… I don’t know if you want to deal with the mess I am right now.” Jack’s fingers started playing with the thick fabric of his duster.

The other man moved to crouch before him, looking up into blue eyes.

Jack stared into the deep brown.

“You’re always going to be messed up,” Gabriel said, the corner of his mouth lifting at the incredulous look on Jack’s face. “I’ll just have to make sure I bring glue.” 

A laugh found its way out of Jack from the complete cheesiness of what Gabriel had just said. Lightly, he shoved the man, letting him fall from his crouched position onto the tiled floor. “Is that how you pick people up at the bar?” 

“Wouldn’t work on anyone else but you.” 

“You sure about that?” Jack raised an eyebrow. 

“You laughed, didn’t you? You liked it. ‘Sides, how would  _ you _ pick someone up?” he baited playfully. He stretched his legs out in front of him, complete with a lazy grin.

Examining the man in front of him, a smirk found its way onto Jack’s face. He left the chair, straddling Gabriel’s thighs in one fluid motion. “Like this.” Curling his fingers into Gabe’s ever present beanie, he pulled him in for a kiss.

Jack was pulled against the broad chest, a hand resting on his waist. 

The kiss was soon broken, he placed a soft peck on Gabriel’s cheek. 

“You win,” the darker man grumbled. “But you didn’t answer my question.” 

“Which question?” 

“Are you ready for this? It ain’t gonna be too much, is it?” 

Jack looked away, hesitating. “I… don’t know.” 

“I’m not letting this go further until you do. I don’t wanna hurt you, and I don’t think you just want someone to fuck, as fun as that is. I don’t want to put you in a relationship you’re not ready for.” 

He shot a glare at the man, abruptly standing up. “I’m not delicate. Stop treating me like I am,” he snapped. 

Turning heel, he left the room, slamming the door on the way out. Once he had made it down the hall, he leaned against the wall, resting his face in his hands. 

He stayed there until he had calmed down, but he told himself that he was going to put some space between them, just for a little while. They could sort things out later.

Only Gabriel left on a month long mission a few days after their exchange. 

Jack hated himself for how he left things, sitting alone in his quarters wrapped up in the red and orange blanket his son had left behind, slightly wrinkled from use. 

He was a mess. 

If only he had some glue… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this one being a bit late, one of our two doesn't have any internet at home so it can make editing a bit of a hassle O: Anyway, hope you enjoy! 
> 
> You can find kenwave [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/)


	18. Chapter 18

Stares greeted Jack when he returned from the vacation with Ana and Fareeha, following his every move, closely picking apart each word that escaped his mouth as if he was speaking some hidden code that would tell everyone his reasons for stepping down. He tried his best to ignore them, managing quite well when he was in public to put on a mask of indifference, but as soon as he closed the doors to his quarters, he crumpled.

Whenever someone shook his hand and told him what a shame it was he had to resign, all he could hear was accusations. He had let everyone down, they finally knew how weak he was.

Things were not getting better, no matter how much he tried. He kept his head down until Gabriel returned. It was hard to do when everyone seemed hyper aware of where Jack was. He began to feel like his quarters were the only safe place left on the base, so long as he kept his eyes from drifting toward Jesse’s room which was easier said than done.

A glance toward the small kitchen reminded him he needed to eat, despite not often feeling hungry anymore. Slowly, he meandered toward the table, sitting down with a light thud.

He was saved from trying to think of what to make by a light knock before his door was sliding open and Ana was striding in.

“Hey, Ana,” he called out to her.

“ _Ahlan_ ,” she said back, joining him at the table. “What are you doing?”

He glanced around. “I have to make food.”

“Perfect, you’re coming over for dinner.”

He raised an eyebrow.“I am?”

“You are not allowed to mope alone in your room again tonight.”

“I have food here, I don’t want to impose.”

She hooked a hand under his arm and pulled him up.

Sighing heavily, he let her manhandle him toward her quarters, not one to deny Ana anything her mind was set on. He was ushered inside, and Fareeha bounded up to him the moment he was sitting at their table.

“Jack!”

“Hello, Fareeha.” Jack smiled, whisking her into his arms. Being around Fareeha always left him feeling bittersweet; small things she would do often reminded him of when Jesse was her age.

She giggled.

“Mum says you’re staying for dinner.”

He nodded, placing her back on the ground.

“Come help me, _ḥabībtá_ ,” Ana said, and Fareeha followed her out to the kitchen.

Jack watched as mother and daughter went to the kitchen, standing, lost, in the entryway. His eyes travelled toward the dining room. After taking a moment to take off his heavy boots and jacket, he sat down at the table that had already been set for three.

“We made your favourite, Jack.”

“Any food you make is my favourite, Ana. You’re a wonderful chef.”

She smiled and rolled her eyes fondly. “Such a charmer.”

Chuckling, Jack rested his hands on the table, playing with the tip of the folded napkin. “You’re cooking _is_ very good. I’m not lying.”

“What about Gabriel’s, hm?”

A small smile found itself on Jack’s face, eyes watching as he started to tear the soft material in his fingers. “His food is good too.” His voice was soft.

“You should have dinner with him when he gets back.”

The smile disappeared from his face. “I… don’t know if he’d want to.”

She raised a brow. “Jack.”

He sighed. “Yes, Ana?”

“He loves you.”

“I yelled at him before he left on that mission.”

Ana set down a steaming bowl of kushari in front of him, sliding the napkin out from under his hand she replaced it with a warm mug of sahlab. “Husbands fight, it’s natural.”

He shot Ana a quizzical look. “What are you implying?”

She just smiled as she and Fareeha joined him at the table. The food smelled delicious, the scent making his stomach rumble in anticipation of it. Chewing, he tossed Ana’s words around in his head, thinking about what had transpired several days before Gabriel had left on his mission.

He did want to be in a relationship with the man, he loved him, he couldn’t lie about it anymore. But, Gabriel had brought up a good point that day. Was he even ready for one in the state he was currently in? He was a mess, his dishevelled hair and dark circles under his eyes letting everyone know.

It didn’t help that thoughts of him not being allowed to be in a relationship plagued his mind. His son had run away, he shouldn’t be doing something that makes him happy, right?

"What do you think?" Fareeha asked, lifting a fork full of food to her mouth.

Her voice startled him out of his thoughts, bringing him back to the dinner he was having in Ana's quarters. "Oh. It's delicious."

“You’re distracted.”

“I’m thinking.”

"Is it about Gabe? Jesse told me one time that you like thinking about him."

"Fareeha," Ana scolded lightly.

His face flooded with heat, turning a bright red. It was enough of an answer for Fareeha who giggled into her hand.

“You’re blushing!” Fareeha teased.

Jack brought the warm sahlab up to his face, attempting to hide it behind the porcelain mug in his hands.

"What else did Jesse tell you?" he settled on asking the young girl. He knew this line of conversation would end up making him sad, but, maybe talking about Jesse more would help him be at peace with his absence.

"Um, that he saw these great pair of cowboy boots one time when we went out that he thought would look great with his hat?"

The chuckle that escaped him at the mental image of his son with his very own cowboy boots to go with the hat came as a surprise to him.

"He did, did he?"

"Uh huh. He told me he's been sneaking food to Gabriel too!"

Warmth filled him as he took a sip of the drink, cinnamon and nutmeg filling his senses. Listening to Fareeha chatter on about his son's antics made him feel lighter than he had felt in ages.

After a while, he started to feel eyes on him.

Blue met soft amber, a small smile appearing on Ana's face to mirror the one on Jack's.

She let Fareeha run off after dinner, bringing him out to the kitchen to clear up. She bumped her shoulder against his.

“It’s nice to see you smile.”

He smiled hesitantly at her, putting away the leftover food into separate containers.

"I don't remember the last time I smiled before this."

She hid a wince. "I'm glad she could help."

"She reminded me of the good times I had with Jesse, of - of him enjoying himself, at least around her." He choked up, the colours of the food blurring together as his eyes filled with tears.

"Jack..." She let her hand rest on his shoulder.

“I’m okay,” he whispered.

"You don't have to pretend..."

At those words his shoulders began to shake, tears finally falling from his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for you having to put up with this."

She drew him into her arms, her hand moving to his back. "I am your friend, it's the least I can do."

He hunched over, burying his face into her shorter frame, letting out all of  the pent up emotions he had tried to prevent himself from feeling too deeply.

She started to sing softly for him, holding him tight.

He didn't know how long he spent in the kitchen with her. All he knew was that when the tears had finally dried up, his legs were sore, eyes aching, face covered in red splotches.

"You should spend the night, Jack. That empty room is not good for you."

"I don't want to impose, Ana. I'll be fine."

"You're not imposing if I invite you. Stay."

Sighing heavily he agreed. Who knew what lengths Ana would go to in order to get him to stay. She was an incredibly stubborn woman.

He spent the night with them, bundled up in the living room watching a movie until they fell asleep.  
They were awoken the following morning by a knock on the door.

Ana nudged Jack in the leg, muttering something about him going to answer the door, it being the least he could do to repay her for her hospitality.  
With an unhappy groan, he pulled himself out from the warmth of the blankets, the cool air of the room making him shiver. He didn't bother to put on his shirt from the night before, answering the door in only his pants.

Gabriel raised his brow. "Mornin’, sunshine."

"Welcome back, Gabe. Did the mission go well?" He cringed internally with the small talk, but he doubted he could go and blurt out exactly what he wanted to.

"It went fine. Ana there? She told me to see her as soon as I got back, it's urgent or something."

Nodding, Jack stepped aside, letting Gabriel see into the living room where Ana was buried under a pile of blankets, Fareeha curled into her side.

The darker man hesitated. "You know what, changed my mind. It can wait."

Jack raised an eyebrow at him. "Alright."

After a moment more, Gabriel turned toward the door. "See ya, Golden Boy."

"Gabe, wait." He reached out, but paused before his hand met Gabriel's shoulder.

“What?”

He jerked his head toward the kitchen, not wanting to have the conversation in the hall where anyone could hear.  
"I need to let you know something..."

Gabriel's voice was slow, bordering on nervous, but he followed him out. "What's up?"

Entering the small room, he flicked on the lights, leaning against the countertop. Nerves flooded through him at what he was about to say.  
He let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his hands over his face. "Listen, Gabriel. I - I _do_ want to be in a relationship with you. I really do. I lo- like you a lot, have for a while, but... I don't think," he paused, taking a moment to figure out how to word his thoughts. "I don't feel like I should be allowed to do something that makes me happy."

Gabriel's expression grew soft. "Jack, you're allowed to be happy."

"Am I though? I’ve caused so much pain... for Jesse, and for you."

"I can't talk for Jesse, but I don't care. Look, you made a mistake, a big one sure, but who hasn't? I'm not gonna hold it against you."

"My son ran away, Gabe. Is it even okay for me to do something to be happy?"

Gabriel linked their fingers. "Yeah. It is."

He sniffled, looking at their hands, their different skin tones complementing each other's.  
"I don't understand how it is," he whispered.

"We'll find him. But just because he made that decision to run doesn't mean you can't take care of yourself, and do what you need to."

He turned away, examining the drawings done by Fareeha adorning the fridge.One of them showed a stick figure with a cowboy hat.  
"That's what I wanted to let you know, Gabriel. I felt you deserved to hear it."

"So what does this mean, Jack? What are we?"

He brought their linked hands up to his face, gently kissing Gabriel's hand.  

"I don't know, but I know what I want us to be."

He was pulled against a broad chest gently, arms coming around him.

Jack smiled into his neck. "Also, Gabriel."

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry.”

Gabriel just held him tighter.

“I'm sorry for using you, Gabe,” he whispered into Gabriel's hoodie.

"You're not using me now."

He ground his teeth together. "Still doesn't forgive what I tried to do.”

“Stop kicking yourself, you’re already down.”

Sighing heavily, he nodded. “Sorry.”

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Lately my schedule has been packed with nothing," he joked.

"I'm jealous," Gabriel replied, grinning. He ruffled the blonde hair. "How about dinner? My treat."

Jack chuckled, the fingers in his hair felt nice. Staring into Gabriel's eyes, a small smirk showed itself on his face before he pecked the man on the cheek. "I'd like that."

The short, sharp chime of a phone going off made Gabriel withdraw with a groan as he dug through his pocket for the blasted thing.

Frowning slightly, Jack leaned back against the cupboards once more before he went back to the living room, wanting to give Gabriel privacy while he was taking the call.

Ana and Fareeha were just getting up when he entered the room.

Suppressing a chuckle at the two with their hair strewn in every direction, he went to collect the blankets that were in a jumbled mess everywhere on the floor.

"Good morning," Ana said, stretching with a yawn.

“Sleep well?”

"Just fine. Is that Gabriel I hear?"

Jack nodded. "He's on the phone."

She got to her feet, picking up the blankets she had shared with her daughter.

Having finished folding the blankets he had collected earlier, he handed them to Ana. "I talked to Gabriel."

Her eyes widened, a bolt of excitement rushing through them.

"You look as if Christmas came early." He chuckled.

"You spoke to him without being forced to, it's a miracle."

Blood rushed to his face. "He was gone for a month."

"Maybe you two should be separated more often."

“I don't know about that.”

She set her hand on his shoulder. "Have you invited him to stay for breakfast?"

"No, I haven't. He," Jack smiled, looking back toward the kitchen, "he invited me to dinner."

She grinned up at him. "There is hope for you two after all."

He rolled his eyes. "We're not completely hopeless.”

"You are, however, hopelessly in love. It blinds you, as it does to others. You are not immune."

Jack turned away, the topic of conversation reminding him of his mistakes, of his blindness toward the feelings of those around him. His feelings for Gabriel having caused too much strain with the man himself and those close to him.

Ana was halfway through saying his name again when Gabriel stepped in.

"Important?" Jack asked, turning toward Gabriel, leaning into his shoulder.

"Yeah, very. I've got a meeting to go to."

Jack frowned disappointment flashing through him. However, he understood. "Alright." He hesitated a moment before pulling the other man into a brief kiss. "Hope it's nothing that will send you on another month long mission."

"I hope not. I'll let you know after. I gotta run."

"Okay." He watched as Gabriel quickly checked to make sure he was presentable before rushing out the door. He was upset that the man would not be able to stay for breakfast like both Jack and Ana had wanted.

"We can save him some," Ana said, ushering him toward the kitchen.

He nodded, allowing himself to be corralled into the smaller room. "He just got back from a long mission, normally he and his team would be given 24 hours before being called into any type of meeting."

“It must be important.”

“It would have to be if he was called in on such short notice.”

They made breakfast together before calling in her daughter to eat.

Fareeha bounded into the kitchen, examining all the food that was made with childlike wonder, before attempting to sneak some freshly made whipped cream from a bowl.

Jack turned a blind eye to it, though it made him smile to see.

Although it did make him sad to know that Jesse wouldn't be here to share the large breakfast with them. He didn't know if his son was still alive, let alone if he had been eating well and staying dry. He hoped he was staying out of trouble.

He left after breakfast, staying just long enough to help with cleaning up, and put in a few hours of training before he was found again by Gabriel.

The man was frowning, dark eyes clouded with thought, a few sheets of paper in his hand.

"Gabe? Everything go okay?" he asked, noticing the look on the man's face.

Their eyes locked. "You and I need to talk."

His stomach dropped at those words. They had talked this morning, everything was fine, wasn't it? He breathed in heavily through his nose, nodding, before grabbing Gabriel's hand, leading him to his own quarters.

He waited until they were inside to start talking. "I got offered your job, Jack. I haven't said anything either way yet, but they told me to seriously consider it. I'm not doing shit without talking to you about it."

Jack grimaced at the news, the words bringing him back to when he was first given the position, not even asking Gabe about if he should take the position or not.  

On one hand, he knew Gabriel was suited for the job, and he would do it well. He didn't have a child to look after, so he wouldn't have the added stress either.

"What's there to talk about," he ended up saying. "You deserve the job."

“Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“I  trust you Gabriel. And… you have less to fuck up.”

“Jack.”

“Gabriel.”

"You're _not_ a fuck up. Stop believing you are."

Sighing, he looked away. "This isn't about me right now. This is about whether or not you're taking the Strike-Commander position."

"I want to know what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking that you should do what you think is best for Overwatch." Jack crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"And what would you say's best?"

"I'm just a regular soldier now, Gabe. This decision isn't mine to make anymore."

"Then consider it your last one as Strike-Commander. Do you want me to take it?

He leaned against the wall, head resting against the off-white. He didn't know if he wanted Gabriel to take it, but he knew he didn't trust anyone else the UN would appoint to the position, or how much control over that person they would have. Gabriel was stubborn, he wouldn't easily bend to their will nor would he stand for anything he didn't think they were doing was right, no matter what the public thought. It's why he was given Blackwatch.

"You're the only one I would trust in that position - other than Ana of course but we know she wouldn't take the position." He smiled weakly.

Gabriel raised a hand to cup his cheek. "Then I'll let them know I'm taking the promotion."

Leaning into the touch, Jack's smile became genuine. "Will we still be having out dinner date?"

“I’m not cancelling on you.”

The grin widened before Jack leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Gabriel's cheek. "I'm looking forward to tonight."

"So am I. I've got paperwork to fill out, so I've got to get back to work."

"Okay. I know how awful paperwork is. I'll see you tonight." He kissed him on the cheek once more before lightly shoving him on the shoulder toward the exit.

The man shot him a grin before heading off alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our little Jackie is growing up :') 
> 
> You can find kenwave on tumblr [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy on tumblr [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/)


	19. Chapter 19

The knocking was insistent, accompanied by his phone buzzing and chirping with a text. 

Quickly, he glanced at his phone, his assumption correct that Gabriel had finally arrived for their date. With a smile, he finished adjusting his tie and hurried to the door to answer it. 

Gabriel smiled, offering out a bouquet of lavender roses sprinkled with red, nerves flickering through dark eyes. “ _ Hola, mi amor.”  _

Jack blushed faintly at the words, accepting the flowers that were presented to him. “Gabe, you honestly didn’t have to do this.” He took a moment to admire the scent of the roses.

He waved it off. “We’ve got reservations.”

An arm was offered to the blond with a grin. 

“Give me a moment to put away these roses.” Jack motioned towards the bouquet in his hand before moving back toward his kitchen, finding a long vase to put them in with water. He examined the beautifully blooming roses, with gorgeous petals.He glanced quickly towards Gabriel and shot him a small smile, knowing exactly what they meant. Love at first sight. What a sap. 

“Okay, I’m ready.” 

Dark eyes were rolled fondly. “You still take forever, Jack.” 

“Hey, I was ready right on time.” He took Gabriel’s arm. 

Jack was whisked out to a waiting car and helped inside, and before long they were zipping away from the base to a fancy restaurant on the far side of town. 

He rolled his eyes at everything Gabe was doing for him, treating him as if he were a prince. He watched as they passed by buildings and pedestrians, minding their own business holding up umbrellas to keep dry from the rain.

His hand was taken, a small box pressed into it.

Startled with the item placed into his hands, Jack wrapped his fingers around the soft fabric of it. He glanced at Gabriel with a raised eyebrow before slowly opening it. Inside was his dog tag, nestled in a cotton handkerchief. 

“What’s this?” 

Gabriel just shrugged, not meeting his eyes. “What’s it look like?” 

“Your dog tag. But, why?” He grasped it in his hand, his body heat warming up the cold metal. 

“I want you to have it.” 

Blue met the dark brown eyes of Gabriel. “Thank you,” he whispered, taking the chain from his neck and putting it with his down dog tags, taking one of his own off of it before returning it to it’s permanent home. He took Gabriel’s calloused hand in his own, placing his own dog tag in it, warm from being pressed against his chest. 

Gabriel dug his chain out from under his suit jacket and dress shirt and undid the back to let Jack’s tag fall to join his before closing it again. He fiddled with the metal, a small, tender smile tugging at his mouth before he returned the tags to their place hidden beneath his shirt. 

Jack watched with a smile on his lips before pulling Gabriel towards him, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek. Long, pale fingers were caught, and twined with darker ones. 

Jack brought their linked hands up looking at them fondly. “You’re a sap,” he joked.

“Would you prefer it if I ignored you?” 

Jack turned back to the window, looking out, a small frown on his face. “No. I don’t think I’d like that to happen again.” 

Gabriel gave his hand a squeeze. “I don’t think I could ignore your pretty face.” 

Scoffing, Jack squeezed back while trying to hide the smile from showing on his face. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re trying to get something out of this night.” 

That got a laugh. “Or you are. Maybe I just wanted to treat you out to a good night.” 

He chuckled. “I’m open to anything, Gabe. I appreciate this.” 

“You needed to get off the base, kid. I can tell.” 

“Why are you calling me kid?” Jack raised an eyebrow. “I’m not much younger than you.” 

“Because you act like one, smartass.” 

“Ha, I’m not the only one.” Jack playfully nudged Gabriel’s shoulder. 

The car came to a gentle halt, and they disembarked together, Gabriel leading the way into the restaurant. Soft music was playing over the murmur of the diners. 

A smile painted Jack’s features as he took in the decorations. The waiters and waitresses dressed smartly in black dress pants, white dress shirts, with ties that matched the logo of the restaurant. However his gaze was soon caught by a small pond near the entrance that housed several fish. 

“Come on, Jack,” Gabriel said, hooking his hand under the blond’s elbow, pulling him after a waiter who guided them to a table tucked in the back. He pulled out a chair, letting Jack sit down before sitting across from him. 

Taking a moment, he gave Gabriel a look before sitting down in the chair, moving it closer to the table. A sparkling glass of water was already in front of him; grateful, he took a sip. 

“Like it so far?” Gabriel asked, and there again was a flicker of nerves passing through his eyes.

Jack shot him a reassuring smile. “It’s lovely, Gabe.” He picked up the small menu placed in front of them, examining the selection of wines.

Gabriel played with his glass, watching him for a moment before taking a drink.

"So," Jack began, taking another sip from his glass. "What if you fucked me over the table?"

Gabriel choked on his water.

Cackling, Jack unfolded the napkin and placed it on his lap. "Lighten up, Gabe. You're acting like this is the first date you've ever been on."

"The first one I've been on in years," Gabriel grumbled, though a smile tugged at his lips. He set the glass down and rested his elbows on the table. "When was the last time  _ you _ went on one?"

Jack hummed, fingers tapping against the wood of the table as he pondered the question. "Since before I left Indiana, I think."

Gabriel's foot knocked against his. "I think you have me beat."

Jack smiled, nudging back. "Yeah? Who was the lucky person?"

"Ana. Before that was a girl you don't know. Didn't last too long before we were breaking it off, I had other things on my mind."

"Yeah? I never knew about you and Ana."

He shrugged. "We went for a date or two."

"Ah." Jack looked away, fidgeting.

"It's been years, Jack."

"Yeah. It's all in the past." He picked up the food menu.

"Jack," Gabriel said, tangling their feet under the table.

He smiled, pushing his feet against Gabriel's. "We're acting like teenagers, not like men in our thirties."

He laughed. "What if I said you just make me feel young?"

Jack rolled his eyes fondly. "Is there anything you're going to do tonight that isn't a cliché?"

"I could take you up on that offer of fucking you over the table."

Jack burst out laughing, head thrown back in joy. "I think we don't want to get kicked out of the restaurant, otherwise I'd happily go along with it."

"It'd be worth it," Gabriel teased.

Blue eyes twinkled. "Well, if he really want to, I have condoms and lube," he joked.

Gabriel leaned forward over the table.

Jack followed his lead, grasping his calloused hand within his own, lacing their fingers together. "We should figure out what we're going to order." Jack smirked, placing a kiss to the tip of Gabriel's nose.

He got a chuckle. "Then pick something."

He closed the menu, raising an eyebrow toward Gabriel. "What if I got the lobster?"

"Go right ahead," Gabriel answered without skipping a beat.

"Wow." Jack's eyes widened. "You trying to impress me or something?"

"I thought you'd like a special first date."

He looked directly into Gabriel's dark eyes, taking both of his hands in his own, a small, genuine  smile on his face. "Gabe, this is probably the nicest date I've ever been on."

"Then I've done a good job," he said softly.

A waiter coughed, bringing their attention to him. Jack flushed, their private moment interrupted.   
"Are you ready to order?"

"We are," Gabriel said, recovering first. He ordered to give Jack a moment to recover his wits.

The waiter turned to Jack, pen held over the notepad. "Uh, I'll take the lobster," he ended up saying. It was the only thing he remembered being on the menu. The waiter hastily scrawled down the order before quickly collecting their menus, taking off toward the kitchen.

He laughed. "Don't worry about it. It's my treat."

"Alright." Jack grinned. "Haven't had lobster in so long."

“Then enjoy it.”

"Excuse me," a woman's voice cut in.

Jack turned toward her, not recognising her as one of the waiters or other staff from the restaurant. "Yes? We're doing something private right now..."

"You're Jack Morrison, aren't you?" she pressed.

His eyes slid toward Gabriel, the man's face losing all warmth.   
"Yes." Jack answered.

"Rumour has it you resigned from the head of Overwatch, is that true?"  
Gabriel scowled.

He debated lying to her, or telling her off, it was none of her business. But either way Gabriel would take up the position as Strike-Commander and the woman would be proven right. He sighed heavily. "It's true."

“Why?” 

Gabriel spoke up. “It's classified.”

Relief flooded through him at Gabriel's voice. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I can't tell you."

He could feel others watching them.   
"So who is taking your place, if you've stepped down?"

"I'm not sure if I'm at liberty to say..."

"That information has not been released to the public yet," Gabriel said, his tone bordering on sharp. "Now if you don't mind, we were enjoying our dinner together.  
Offence flickered across her face.

Jack put on his best PR smile, one that the press absolutely fell for every time he pulled it out. "I'm sure if you were in our position you wouldn't be too happy with your dinner being interrupted."

She huffed but scurried off, leaving Jack upset and Gabriel fuming.

“Sorry, Gabriel.”

“Are you okay?” 

"Yeah, I just.... forgot that the public was a thing." Jack laughed weakly. "But, that's over with now. We have an entire evening together."

"Next person who speaks to you like that is getting a beating from me."

It got a chuckle from Jack. "Good luck explaining that to the police, Gabe. Also, if you're going to be the next Strike-Commander, you might want to be on the public's good side."

“Fuck what they think.” 

“Easier said than done.” 

Gabriel leaned back, crossing his arms, scowling. "Maybe coming here was a bad idea. I should've just cooked something."

"No, Gabriel, this really is lovely. You went out of your way to do this. You can cook something next time." Jack nudged his ankle with his toe. "It's only one hiccup. It's just easy for us to forget we're public figures."

The tension bled from strong shoulders and the man sighed. "I wanted this to be a break for you."

"For the most part it has been." Jack took Gabriel's hand. "How about after dinner we go somewhere private and make it a break from people as well."

Gabriel scrapped together a smile.

They were saved from awkwardly salvaging their former conversation by their food arriving, large plates placed in front of them. Taking a deep sniff, Jack smelled the lobster, and butter, it smelled heavenly. The biscuits and garden salad to the side of his dish looked delicious.

His date chuckled at his expression as he picked up his own fork to start into his chicken dinner.

The smile soon returned to Jack's face once he started eating, the food tasting absolutely divine. Much better than anything that was served at the Watchpoint, and leaps and bounds better than anything from the military. 

"Gabe, this is delicious. You chose a great place."

“Ana recommended it.”

He raised a dark blond eyebrow. "When has she had the time to go out for dinner?"

He shrugged. "It wasn't with me. But this place was better than the one Reinhardt suggested I take you to."

He chuckled, nibbling on one of the biscuits. "What did he suggest?"

“One of the pubs.” 

"I wouldn't mind going to a pub, but I doubt you would have wanted that."

“Not for tonight, at least.” 

"Who knew Gabriel Reyes was such a romantic," Jack teased.

“And no one will besides you.” 

"You seem pretty confident about this relationship." Jack took another sip of his water as he gave Gabriel a questioning look.

The man didn't respond, instead he lifted a forkful of chicken to his mouth and started to chew.

“Gabe?” 

He sighed. "I just have a good feeling about this, okay?"

"Alright." Jack didn't share his optimism to the same extent, but he would let the man have this. He didn't want to put a damper on their night out, even if he didn't believe he deserved the amount of effort Gabriel was putting into their relationship.

"I'd... been waiting for years for an opportunity."

Jack looked at him sadly. "We have a lot of time we wasted, then."

"We'll just have to make up for it," he said, tapping the table lightly.

He chuckled lightly, finishing off the last of his meal. "I look forward to see how we spend the time."

Gabriel paid before whisking Jack away to a nearby park, where two umbrellas were produced (Gabriel had the driver pull the car around and he fetched them from the trunk). He offered the handle of one to the blond.

He took the umbrella from his hand with a smile, opening it to keep him dry from the rain that had picked up since they had first entered the restaurant.

Gabriel offered him an arm once more.

Jack linked it with his own, shooting the man a smile, happy that he was able to spend some time with Gabriel without having to deal with the hustle and bustle of the base, or the worry that either of them would be called into work.

They strolled through the park together, leaning on each other.

They reached a grove, the leaves on the trees creating a beautiful canopy of red, orange, and yellow. Jack admired the view before turning toward Gabriel, hand moving to rest against Gabriel's cheek.

"I wish I could do this more often for you," the dark man admitted. "I want to marry you one day, after we've found Jesse. I want him to be there to see you be happy. I want you to be happy."

Jack's eyes softened at the confession, the words were something he needed to hear to reassure him of Gabriel’s feelings. It was essentially Gabriel telling Jack that he loved him without using the words exactly. And the admittance that he wanted to marry Jack would have normally scared him off, but this was Gabriel. He had known him for over a decade at this point.

The fact he wanted nothing more for Jack but to see him happy, and he wanted Jesse to be there with them, it meant a lot.

"Gabriel..."

He leaned forward to kiss him.

Jack's lips met his, hands cradling Gabriel's face, stroking along his cheekbones.

He was pulled against Gabriel's chest.

They parted, a small smile on Jack's face. Happiness buzzing through his body. The warmth radiating off of Gabriel was a comfort, Jack buried his face in his neck.

Fingers were run through his hair gently.

"Thank you for taking me out," Jack muttered into Gabriel's jacket.

"Next time it's your turn," he said back playfully.

Jack hummed in acknowledgement, enjoying being in Gabriel's presence. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what happens next will shock you!!! 
> 
> thanks for all the very nice comments <3 they mean a lot. 
> 
> you can find kenwave [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/)


	20. Chapter 20

 

Jack’s comm was ringing. It woke him from a dead sleep an hour and a half before his alarm was set to go off. He fumbled for it in the dark, blearily clicking it on and raising it to his ear.

"Morrison."

_ "Get up, you've got a meeting,"  _ Gabriel said. Confusion flashed through Jack.

He grumbled a random string of sounds that could have been words before he rolled out of bed, almost flopping onto the floor in his half asleep state. Sluggishly, he made his way toward the ensuite, almost tripping over a pile of clothes as he went. 

“Why?” he asked, running fingers through his hair, blue eyes blearily peered at himself through the mirror.

_ "Because I said so. You're my honorary second in command, I thought you'd want to meet my replacement."  _

"Honorary second in command?" Jack chuckled. "I didn't know that was a position." 

Once his teeth were brushed, he grabbed the clothes he would normally wear under his Strike-Commander coat and armour. He wasn't Strike-Commander anymore, he didn't think he deserved to wear the clothing and medals that signified the role. The tight dark blue long sleeved shirt, heavy pants, and metal boots would have to do.

_ “Are you coming?”  _

"Yeah. I'm getting ready." If it was the last meeting he would have to be in for a long while, then he would gladly go.

_ "You still take forever, I'm glad some things never change." _ The comment was fond.

Jack rolled his eyes, glad that Gabriel couldn't see. "You woke me up."

_ “They woke me up hours ago. I let you sleep in.” _

"I don't have anything to be awake for right now, or so I thought. I think I have a good excuse for not being ready right away."

_ “Just hurry up,” _ he said playfully before signing off.

Huffing heavily, Jack moved faster, grabbing a croissant from the box of them resting on his counter. Glancing sadly at the coffee machine next to the microwave, he sighed heavily. There would be no time for that.  

With a bite of the pastry, he started toward the meeting room at a brisk pace.

Gabriel met him outside it, two mugs of coffee in hand. He offered him one.

The warm mug was happily accepted, Jack hurriedly taking a sip, a sharp sting of heat burning at his tongue. 

"Thank you."

His boyfriend chuckled and guided him into the room where a woman was waiting.

She sat at the head of the table, posture perfect, fingers steepled in front of her. Her dark hair was tied up in a tight bun, however several strands came loose, falling lightly to her shoulders.

She rose to her feet, waiting as Gabriel brought Jack to the table. She held out a hand.

"I am Anita Chaudhri," she said, her voice smooth and even. 

"Our new Blackwatch commander," Gabriel said.

Jack nodded, grabbing her hand, shaking it. Her grip was strong and steady.  "Jack Morrison. It's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled at her, one of his smiles that he put on for public relations.

"I understand that you were previously Strike-Commander?"

"Yes. I had to step down for... several reasons I'd rather not get into. Unfortunately you won't be seeing much of me since I'm no longer in that position."

"You're still working for me," Gabriel said immediately. "You'll be around."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Jack just grunted. "Yeah. But we don't know what my position will be."

"You were the commander of Overwatch, you have the skills necessary to be given an important position," Anita said. "It's preferable to keep you nearby, as you know the inner workings of the organization."

Jack grimaced.

"You seem uncomfortable with this."

"I'm not uncomfortable with you being the Commander of Blackwatch if that's what you mean. I think you'll do fine."

She continued to watch his face as she nodded.

"What are your plans for the future of Blackwatch?"

"To improve it, to increase the training required before each operative can be deployed on field missions, to tighten security and make the operation as a whole more effective."

He nodded. "Alright. That sounds good." She seemed like a good fit, and he trusted Gabriel's decision.

"Is that all we needed to discuss?" she asked.

"It's all I needed to discuss with you. I don't know if Reyes has anything he needs to say. He's the one who dragged me here." Jack shrugged lightly.

"We'll talk later about the details about you taking over," Gabriel said. Anita nodded and stood, bowing to them briefly before slipping from the room.

"Thank you, Anita." Jack called after her.

Gabriel waited for the door to slide shut to speak.

"What do you think?"

"She seems very professional, and has a vision in mind for Blackwatch, which is good."

"The UN assigned her."

That came as a shock to Jack. "Oh. I thought you did."

"I didn't have a choice in the matter, I just got the order."

Jack hummed, a frown on his face. The UN still wanted to have a tight hold on the Strike-Commander, even if it wasn't Jack anymore.

Gabriel stood. 

Jack remained seated, sighing heavily into his hands.

“What?” 

“How much control do we even have?” 

Gabriel shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm not letting them use me as a puppet."

Leaning back, he crossed his arms in front of him. "Don't let them blackmail you, they'll try to do that."

"They don't have anything to use on me."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

“Just you.”

"Exactly. An ex-Strike-Commander who left on bad terms that they want to brand a traitor. Just... Be careful, Gabe."

“I’m always careful.” 

"Alright." Jack didn't sound convinced. They UN would find some way to have one over Gabriel, whether it was him or something else to hold over him. "Stay sharp." He stood from the seat, and pressed a quick peck to Gabriel's cheek.

"Sorry for waking you, I just wanted your read on the new kid."

"She seems decent enough. I don't have her file, I don't know if she has the ability to back up her words, but only time will tell."

"Her file says she does." He put a hand on the table. "I'm going to keep an eye on her."

Jack nodded. "Keep an eye out on the UN, Gabe. They're trying to micromanage Overwatch."

“I won’t let them.” 

"Please, take care of yourself as well."

He nodded. “I will.” 

"And for the love of God, Gabriel, don't do what I did. Don't push everyone away, don't let your pride dictate how you should handle everything." Jack looked away, refusing to meet Gabriel's eyes.

His hand was taken. “You eat breakfast yet?”

“Had a croissant, but that’s about it.”

“Come get breakfast with me.” 

"Not even asking me if I want to? Wow, you're acting very presumptuous." Jack teased, lightly nudging his shoulder with his own. 

The man chuckled, picking up the empty mugs of coffee left on the table and headed for the door.

"Would you have said no? I was just saving time by skipping the question."

Jack rolled his eyes. "No, I wouldn't have. You know me too well."

They went back to Gabriel's quarters, where he set about gathering what he needed to cook.

Jack pulled out a chair from the small table in the middle of the room, plopping down in it as he began to watch the other man move about the kitchen, mouth watering at the prospect of a proper breakfast.

“Pancakes alright?”

“Sounds good.”

He got the batter ready quickly and poured some in the pan before putting on a fresh pot of coffee.

Jack perked up from his slouched over position as soon as he heard the coffee pot start to gurgle, spurting out coffee into the clear glass. 

"Coffee?"

Gabriel laughed. "You've got a problem, kid."

"I could be addicted to worse things," Jack grumbled.

He got a laugh, and before too long a plate of food and a refilled mug of steaming coffee was placed before him.

"Thanks." Jack shot him a brief smile before digging in, the food tasting absolutely heavenly.

"That hit the spot?" Gabriel teased.

"Yes. A singular croissant can only do so much, Gabe." He shoved another pancake into his mouth.

That earned him another laugh as his companion started in on his own much smaller portion.

Jack frowned at the amount on Gabriel's plate. "You're going to make me feel bad for eating all the food you made."

"I ate earlier," was the reply, accompanied by a shrug.

"You didn't have to go out of your way to make food for me, Gabe. I can manage on my own."

"Oh I know that, but I wanted your company."

The response made Jack roll his eyes. "You could have just asked."

“I got it, didn’t I?” 

"You did," Jack admitted, taking a sip from the steaming coffee. "But my point still stands. I'm very willing to offer my company for you."

Gabriel leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. "How about you spend the night here, then?"

Jack grinned, his chin resting on his palm as he examined Gabriel with half lidded eyes. "I like the sound of that."

He brought their lips together.

Jack smiled against Gabriel's lips. Their mouths moved together languidly as the blond deepened the kiss. He rested his hands on Gabriel’s cheek, gently stroking along the scars on the face he knows by heart. 

It was only when Jack's comm chirped cheerfully that they pulled apart.

He made a confused noise, parting slowly from the warmth of Gabriel's body. He was on temporary leave until Overwatch could figure out what to do with him, and Gabriel was right there with him. It didn't make sense for someone to page him.

"Morrison here," he answered. 

Gabriel stood, moving out into the kitchen.

_ “Jack, it’s your mother.” _

"Ma? Why are you calling me on my comm?"

He could have sworn his heart stopped when Raven answered, " _ Jesse called us. _ "

"J-Jesse contacted you?" he choked out. 

_ "He said he's safe, that he's taking care of himself. He told us not to track him, he's on the move." _

Jack felt weak, his legs no longer carrying the strength to hold him up. "He's alive." He breathed out a sigh of relief. He spent so long worrying about his son, spending an entire year attempting to keep his mind from wandering to the possibility that Jesse had died without him knowing.

“ _ He is _ .” 

Tears began welling up in his eyes, threatening to spill over as the information finally sunk in.   
"H-he doesn't want to come home."

Her voice was hesitant. _ "No. He doesn't." _

"He hates me." The words were soft.

_ "Children often say that without meaning it, Jack. It's just anger talking, not Jesse." _

"I just want him home and safe."

“ _ As do we. We'll call you if he reaches us again. _ "

Jack nodded, a sad noise escaping him as he said his goodbye to his mother.

Footsteps came toward him, and the chair was pulled out again as Gabriel sat down and reached for his hand. Jack accepted it, squeezing tightly, staring unseeingly in front of him.

“Jack?”

“Gabe.” His voice was quiet.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I might as well have.” 

He frowned. "What happened?"

"Jesse contacted my parents."

His eyes widened. "What?"

"He's alive. He said he's safe. And he's not coming back home."

The frown deepened. "Where is he? Did she say?"

"No. I don't even think he told Ma. He doesn't want to be found." Jack sighed, leaning into Gabriel.

"We're going to find him. He can't hide."

"He's managed to for long enough."

"He'll slip up. We'll know the second he does."

Jack nodded. "Alright. As much as I want you to find him though, don't sacrifice your work. You're Strike-Commander now."

"I can delegate. I've got it under control."

Jack watched Gabriel with a careful eye, waiting to see if he would falter, but the man remained stubborn. "Fine," he conceded.

“Let’s sit and watch a movie, do something to calm you down.” 

His stomach twisted. “I don’t think I could live with myself if I sat down to watch a movie when we could be tracing Jesse’s location.” 

“I’ll get people on it.” 

He fidgeted, glancing toward the door. He wanted to be a part of the search team, he couldn’t bare standing by while there was a chance of getting his son back. But, he knew where Gabriel was coming from. He’d more than likely get in the way. 

Jack sighed. “Fine.” 

His hand was taken. “Listen, the second I hear something about Jesse, I’ll tell you personally, alright?” 

Jack squeezed the fingers wrapped around his own. “Thank you, Gabe.” 

Gabriel dug out his comm, sending a message to those who worked with him to get onto the case.

“Can you pick the movie?” 

He groaned and went over to pull one out.

Jack watched as Gabriel went over to the cabinet that held several movies, browsing through the different titles, before making his way toward the couch, curling up beside the arm.

Gabriel settled for one about vampires.

Rolling his eyes, Jack nudged him in the side. “You’re predictable.” 

“Me? Predictable?”

“Extremely.” Jack shot him a weak smile. He was pulled into a light headlock, his hair ruffled.

The act caught Jack by surprise, and he let out a startled yelp as the scent of Gabriel’s deodorant filled his nostrils. “Gabe!” 

The response was a laugh as knuckles scraped over his scalp.

Jack brought his arms up, attempting to fend off the knuckles brushing his head, but Gabriel was persistent. Before long, the gel that Jack had used to carefully style his hair had been completely brushed out, the strands sticking up in every direction.

Gabriel started to laugh.

“What?” 

“You look dumb as shit.”

Jack stared up at him, face completely blank before letting out a snort in amusement. “Thanks, Gabe.” 

“Any time.”

They settled in to watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the delay, life got the better of us. (Okay, life got the better of TimelessTragedy who took forever to get things done more than Kenwave but who's counting ;) ) Thanks for sticking with us all the same, we love you guys. 
> 
> See you next week!


	21. Chapter 21

He awoke sticky with sweat, a scream clawing its way up his throat that he desperately choked back. It was quiet, still, and dark, the only noise cutting through the silence was that of the people around him breathing and the sounds of the outdoors. He felt deaf, raw. He ran his hand through his hair, cringing at the tangles he found there.

He crawled out his bunk slowly, trying to ignore the ache settling in his chest, rifling through his things until he found his cheap box of cigarettes he kept stashed nearby at all times. They were the kind Gabriel always brought back after a long mission.

The breeze was cool as he stepped outside. A cigarette was lit and lifted to his lips and he waited for the wave of calm it always brought him. The taste of his nightmare still lingered in his mouth and clung to his skin. He tried to brush it off.

The door behind him creaked open and he glanced behind him.

"Jesse?" a girl  his age asked. She had joined the gang roughly the same time as he did. Her normally styled and well kept blonde hair was a rat's nest, tangled and sticking out in every direction. It reflected their current conditions.

He scrounged up a weak smile. "Sephi, what're you doin' up?"

She shrugged, moving beside him. "I couldn't sleep." She reached out her hand reaching for the cigarette in Jesse's hands. He passed it over without hesitation.

"Me neither."

Without skipping a beat, she brought it up to her lips, taking a slow drag before breathing out the smoke, watching it dissipate in the cool night air.

"You look a bit rough," she commented. "Are you okay?"

The smile was easier this time. He just hoped it reached his eyes.   
"I'm just fine, darlin'."

She rolled her eyes and nudged his shoulder with her own. "Can't fool me, McCree."

He chuckled, taking his cigarette back. "Thought I had you this time."

"I can read you like an open book, something's on your mind."

"Can I be honest?"

"Of course. We need to have each other's back here, Jess, we're the babies of the group."

"I'm missin' home."

"Yeah? Why're you here then?" Sephi asked looking directly at him.

“Didn’t have much of a choice.”

"You didn't?" Concern laced her voice and was clear in her eyes.

“I was suffocating.”

"Were you... Were your parents," she hesitated a moment, "were they abusing you?"  
His eyes widened. "Oh God, no. It's... It's complicated. My dad's military, he's busy and it's driving him crazy. He didn't hurt me, not like that."

She exhaled with relief. "I thought I'd have to march to your parents and teach them not to mess with my friend!"  
He laughed, wrapping his arm around her, ruffling her hair. "He was tryin' his best, don't worry, darlin'. He'd never hurt me."

"Good!" She giggled, returning the half armed hug. "You're a good guy, Jesse. I don't know why you're here."

"It was a way of getting out," he said honestly, his voice dropping. He let the cigarette fall, crushing it under his heel. He kept his eyes down.

"You could go back home though. I'm sure your dad misses you. Get out of this before you have to sacrifice your morality." Sephi took his hand.

"If I go back, I'm gonna be dragged into all that shit like he was... I can't go back, Sephi, I can't."

"Is there anywhere else you can go? Any other family?"

“They’re dead.”

"Oh." Sephi looked away. "I'm sorry for bringing it up, Jess."

"They died when I was seven, omnics got 'em. I'm over it," he said, shrugging. He nudged her. "Ready to be part of the gang full time? There's no goin' back."

“No there isn’t,” she agreed. “But, I have nowhere else to go, so it’ll be nice to have a home again.” Sephi lifted herself onto the railing that surrounded the porch, perching herself on top of it. He leaned against it beside her, looking down again.

He frowned.

“Why the long face?”

“Do you ever think this was a bad idea?”

“Joining the gang? Maybe. But, I also don’t have anywhere to go. I made my decision so I’m sticking with it.” Sephi looked up at the stars, taking them in.

His thoughts turned back to his family, to the father that missed him and the grandmothers he scared. He missed playing with Fareeha, training with Gabriel, hearing Reinhardt’s stories. He missed Ana, and Torbjorn, and the others.

He wanted to go home.

But of course, that wasn’t an option.

The door clacked as it was opened and shut, and he turned to face the man in charge.

He was a large man, in every sense of the word. Everything about him was intimidating, the near permanent glare on his face made sure no one stepped out of line. In the gang, his word was as good as a word from God.

“What’re you kids doin’ up?” His voice was almost a growl. Thick arms were crossed in front of his large, barrel chest.

Jesse smiled up at the man, gathering his confidence easily, leaning back against the banister. “Having a smoke, you want one?”

He grunted, taking his own cigar out from his pocket, flicking a lighter that looked comically small in his own hands, lighting the tip. “Don’t need any o’ that cheap shit you call tobacco.”

Jesse rolled his eyes and dug back into his pack of cigarettes. “Suit yourself.”

After several moments, the three smoking in silence, the boss finally spoke. His voice cut through the night. “You better be in top shape tomorrow. That’s when the two of ya will be tested. Being tired ain’t no excuse.”

“Got it, boss.”

With a grunt, he turned around, walking back into the ramshackle house.

Jesse blew out a breath of relief, his shoulders slumping. He ran a hand through his hair.

A slender hand was placed on his shoulder. “You okay, Jess?”

“You should try an’ get more sleep.”

Sephi shook her head. “I’m not letting you sit out here all night, wasting your energy. You also need sleep.”

“I’ll give it a shot if you do, deal?” He held out his hand.

She took it with a lopsided grin on her face, giving the tanned hand a firm shake. “Deal, cowboy.”

He laughed and helped her down, walking her back to her bunk before going back to his own. His eyes slid closed as soon as he laid down but no sleep came. He didn't expect it to. Too many things raced through his mind, thoughts going at a million miles per second. So much had changed in his life so quickly.

And the changes were only happening faster, something he was reminded of when the shouts for everyone to get their asses in gear started."The train we need is coming round these parts in roughly an hour. We rob 'em and leave. Anyone spots us is dead," the boss barked, reiterating the information he had given them the night before.

They packed up fast, gathering what they needed and setting off on foot.

Sephi ran up to Jesse, her gait uneven from the large pack she was carrying on her back.

"Need some help?" he asked her softly.

"No, I can do this." Determination filled her eyes. "'sides, I know you didn't sleep at all, you need all the energy you can get.”

"I've gone on less."

Sephi eyed him carefully. "If you think you can handle it, cowboy." She took one of the bags off of her shoulder and handed it to Jesse. He grinned at her easily, shouldering her pack and encouraging her to catch up to the others.

With a smile she burst forward, catching up after several minutes.

He stayed at her side, bumping his shoulder against hers as they walked.

It didn't take much longer until they reached the train tracks, the only thing that was in view for miles.

Jesse's fingers brushed his holstered gun, nerves bubbling in his chest. His stomach tied itself in knots as the others readied themselves for the oncoming train.

A hand gently rested on his shoulder. "You'll do fine, Jess."

"We'll _both_ do fine."

Her blue eyes slid away from his, the smile on her face growing strained. "Yeah!"

"They can find room for both of us."

She looked sad for a moment before nodding.

The ground started rumbling, the train fast approaching their location. It was an old fashioned train. Most nowadays used hover technology, but not all of them had transferred over to the new tech.

“Get ready!” someone hollered, and the others moved into position.

The boss moved close to Jesse, standing directly behind him, practically breathing into his ear causing shivers to run down his spine. He moved when his boss did, starting to run alongside the train as it rushed past, jumping on when an opportunity presented itself. Examining the train quickly, the memory of the model he had studied days previous coming to mind, he found the opening to the car and unlocked it.

Sephi hopped on not too long after him, followed by the boss who shot her a displeased look when she stumbled on the landing. With a sneer, he turned away from her and went toward the large crates scattered across the floor.

Jesse caught her by the wrist and helped her back to her feet. The bracelet she wore bit at his palm. His stomach churned.

_She wasn’t going to get a spot…_

He debated throwing his chance for her, to help her earn her place instead.

She shot him an uneasy smile before moving off to the other side of the car, prying open one of the crates with a crowbar. He went to his own, cracking it open with ease.

The crates were filled with guns and ammo, exactly like the boss said. The plans ran through Jesse’s mind as he examined the weapons carefully. The plan was simple, get on the train, grab whatever you could take, and get off the train. From there, it was a  matter of finding a willing buyer and delivering the goods. After being paid, of course.

He picked up the first gun - as long as his arm - and shoved it into his bag. He glanced over his shoulder at Sephi as he reached for another.She was busy with her own bag, stuffing as much ammo inside of it as she could possibly fit.

He turned his attention back to his task, reaching for another weapon as one caught his eye. It gleamed as he picked it up, testing its weight. It was smaller than the rest in the crate, silver in colour with a brown handle.

Hesitating, he shoved it in the back of his pants, making sure that the safety was on. Something about the gun called to him, and giving the gun to the man who was distributing the stolen goods would just end up being a waste, he thought.

Sounds of a struggle reached them. They were told to hurry.

Glancing around him, Jesse assessed that everyone in their car was where they should be. He zipped up the bag filled with guns and shouted for everyone to leave. They had to jump or they’d be caught and the entire mission would be a bust.

He moved for the exit.

He jumped first.

He didn’t bother looking behind him, trusting that the rest of the gang was doing the same, following his cue. He knew he wasn’t the leader, but he didn’t trust that if he waited for the boss to make a decision that more people would be dead than any of them wanted.

With a loud thud, he landed gracelessly on the ground, jarring his knees with the large bag of weapons making him almost fall onto his side.

Others landed nearby, catching themselves with practiced ease, running the moment they touched the ground. He struggled to catch up, glancing behind him for Sephi.

She wasn’t too far behind them, keeping a steady pace with the bag of ammo she was carrying on her back. She wasn’t the fastest among them, but she also wasn’t the slowest, which was a relief to Jesse.

He kept running, though he kept an eye on her as best he could. He almost ran into the broad back of the man in front of him when they reached their camp.

“Alright, let’s see what y’all got!” the boss snapped, everyone gathering around, taking the heavy bags off from their backs. Guns and ammo were scattered all over the loose dirt, the boss nodding approvingly.

“Looks like our benefactor’ll be pleased by this.”

“What’d the newbies get?” one asked.

The boss walked over to Jesse, his large frame blocking the sun so he was standing in the man’s shadow. He examined the stolen goods with cold eyes. “This one picked up a great deal of good quality weapons, it seems.”

He felt his heart in his throat but gave him an easy grin in response. He tried to keep the fear from his eyes.

Giving Jesse a firm nod, the boss moved onward to Sephi looking at her haul with a critical eye. “You’ve also gotten a good deal of ammo… however.” He paused.

Jesse’s eyes widened.

Sephi shifted nervously from foot to foot.

“You haven’t been the most capable. I don’t think you can keep up with us, girly.”

There was a sickening sense of relief that swept over him, one that made him feel like he deserved to die. He was glad that it wasn’t him. And he hated himself for it.

Words rose to his throat, but he couldn’t get them out. He couldn’t make a sound.

The boss stared at Sephi with his beetle-like eyes. She looked sick.

“How about your final test, boy?” he asked McCree, not bothering to look at him.

“Final test?” he forced out. He wiped clammy hands on his jeans.

“If girly ain’t any use to us, she’s no use to anyone. No one’ll miss her if she’s gone. You need to show me you’re strong, boy. That you can really run with us.”

“Y-you want me to kill her?” he choked, stepping forward. His hands started to shake.

“Yep!” The large man popped the ‘p’.

“I-I…”

“Unless…” He pulls his gun out from the holster on his hip, waving it around slowly, making sure Jesse’s eyes are following it.

Brown eyes went wide, and he hesitated but reached for the gun tucked into his waistband and a bullet to load.

Sephi turned to face him, sadness in her blue, blue eyes. She didn’t panic, nor did she try to get away. She seemed to accept everything that was happening to her in stride.

“Persephone…”

She looked at Jesse, a smile on her face. “It’s okay, Jesse. It was a pleasure to know you. I’m glad you came into my life for the brief amount of time we knew each other.”

Tears welled in his eyes as he lifted the gun, his grip unsteady. He couldn’t speak, _he couldn’t speak_ …

He pulled the trigger.

 

* * *

 

He couldn’t sleep that night. He tossed and turned, desperate for rest. When it finally came, he was trapped in a world of terror, frightened and alone. He awoke with a scream jammed in his throat, sweating and shaking.

He dug through his bag, finding his pack and stumbling for the door. Half bent over the railing, he slid out a cigarette and lit up. The nicotine didn’t help soothe his nerves, his head buzzing.

He listened to the people sleeping soundly in the shack behind him, listened for her.

His fingers grazed the bracelet, the one _she_ always wore. The one he went back for.

He waited.

But she didn’t come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay last week, TimelessTragedy was home for the weekend (she still doesn't have Internet there) and was busy getting a tattoo. We have the next chapter almost complete, and are working on getting ahead again so we can get back to updating weekly. Thank you for your patience, guys.
> 
> You can find kenwave [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/)


	22. Chapter 22

Awkwardly standing in front of the door to his mothers brought back memories of when he visited them with his son. He had been so excited to introduce them, yet so nervous for how they would react since he hadn’t spoken to them in so long at that point. 

However, now they had been speaking more frequently. They both knew that Jack would be visiting them for a brief vacation, and to ask about the phone call Jesse had given them. But they didn’t know that Jack had decided to take a surprise guest with him to introduce to his parents. 

“Are you going to knock, or just stand there staring at it?” Gabriel teased, dropping his bag at his feet.

“Wha-?” Jack was startled out of his thoughts.

Gabriel caught his wrist and brought it to the door, knocking his knuckles against it.

“You could knock yourself, you know.” Jack pulled his hand back from the door, placing it inside his sweater pocket.

“It's your house.”

“You’ll be staying here too.” 

The door opened, cutting Gabriel off when he went to speak.

“Jack! What a surprise! Next time tell us exactly when you’ll be visiting, the house is a mess!” Michelle cried, pulling her son into her arms. She glanced at Gabriel. “Oh, who’s this?”

A faint blush reached Jack’s cheeks. He shuffled from one foot to the other, not meeting his mom’s eyes. “This is Gabriel Reyes, Mom. He’s, um, my boyfriend.” 

Her eyes lit up and she eagerly shook Gabriel’s hand. “Oh, Jack, that’s wonderful! It’s so nice to meet you! Come inside, come inside!” 

With a sigh of relief, he picked up the luggage he had brought and led Gabriel inside the modestly sized farm house. 

“Raven is out, she should be back shortly.” 

Jack nodded, the embarrassment on his face soon giving way to a small smile. “Think Ma will like the surprise?” 

“She’ll be  _ ecstatic _ .” 

He smiled at Michelle, flopping down heavily on a kitchen chairs. His head hit the placemat. He heard the chair beside him scrape against the floor, a heavy hand resting on his back as he was joined by Gabriel. 

Turning his face toward him, he gave the man a soft smile, eyes drooping closed. There was a soft chuckle from his boyfriend. 

“Are you boys hungry?” Michelle asked them. “It’s a long ride to get here, I know.” 

Jack nodded, humming in agreement in case his mom couldn’t see him. The table was comfortable. Especially after having to sit in uncomfortable positions the entire time it took for them to fly and drive to the farmhouse.

His mother started to whistle as she set to work in the kitchen. 

Gabriel started to rub his back 

The gentle touches and the repetitive whistling of his mother lulled him into an easy doze, his mind focussing on nothing but the sound and rhythmic motion of Gabriel’s hand. 

Eventually Gabriel stood, his footsteps heading toward the stove. 

Michelle continued her whistling, almost finishing the food’s preparation. 

The front door opened and snapped shut, followed by the squeak of rubber boots and the thump of them hitting the floor. Socked feet padded toward him, then gentle fingers brushed the nape of his neck briefly. 

Jack sucked in a deep breath through his nose, startled at the light touch on his neck. He had to resist the urge to move on the offensive, reminding himself he was safe at the farm with his moms and Gabriel. That everything was okay… for the most part.

“Raven,” Michelle trilled with a gasp, and her wife laughed, the sound a little muffled. 

“It smells good in here.” 

“We’re making soup.” 

“We?” 

“Gabriel Reyes,” Gabriel spoke up. 

“A pleasure. I expect you’ll be staying for a while?” Raven asked, her footsteps moving toward the counter. 

“I’m here with Jack.” 

“They’re  _ together _ ,” Michelle put in, her voice bright. 

“I’m glad to hear it,” Raven praised. “You two seem well suited for each other. I look forward to getting to know you.”

There was a clatter of dishes. 

“Gabriel, can you wake Jack?” 

A hand came to rest on his shoulder. 

Jack muttered incoherently before blinking blearily up at Gabriel, smiling softly at him. 

“Morning, sunshine.” 

“It’s not morning, Gabe,” Jack responded. He saw his ma in the room, helping Michelle with the soup that smelled wonderful. He took a moment to enjoy its aroma before greeting Raven. 

“Hi, Ma.” 

“Welcome home, John.” 

“It’s good to be back. You met Gabe?” Jack asked.

“He introduced himself, yes.” 

Jack nodded, stretching out his sore muscles before standing up completely. “I think Gabe and I are going to go drop off our luggage in my room. Let us know when the soup’s ready.”

Raven waved them off, starting to set the table. 

He picked up his bag, and with his free hand, Jack took Gabriel’s in his own leading him to his childhood bedroom. He slammed open the door without grace, plopping his bag of luggage down at the foot of the bed that was too small for the two of them. 

Gabriel stepped away from him, reaching for a stuffed llama resting on the pillow. He raised a brow. 

Jack sighed heavily. “Everyone always questions the llamas.” 

“Llamas.” Gabriel repeated, propping a fist on his hip and gently tossing the llama back onto the bed. It bounced off the pillow and landed with its face pressed into the covers.

“They’re cute!” Jack reached for the discarded llama plush, righting it. “They spit as a defense mechanism.” Jack laid down on the bed, sprawling out. He groaned in relief, the flatter surface doing wonders on his back.

Gabriel started to laugh, shaking his head.

“What?” Jack asked, looking up.

“You’re fucking  _ weird _ , Jack.” 

"I take you to my childhood home, extend my hospitality to you. And you insult my childhood favourite animal." Jack huffed.

Gabriel snorted, sitting against his hip. "I don't have anything against llamas."

"Sure sounds like you do." Jack turned over, his face stuffed into his pillow, words coming out muffled.

Hands ran over his back, gently working the muscles of his shoulders. 

"I just like messing with you. They're... uh, cool."

Jack laughed into the pillow. "I'm just teasing you, Gabe." Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the hands that pressed at his tensed shoulders, knots that had been there for god knew how long slowly being worked away.

Gabriel hummed, leaning down to lightly press kisses along his shoulder blades.

Jack smiled into the pillow, stomach fluttering with happiness. "Why the back massage?" he asked, voice muffled from being buried.

"Don't want it?" Gabriel asked, playfully removing his hands.

"No, it's great. I haven't had a back massage in so long."

Gabriel chuckled and returned his hands to Jack's back, taking up rubbing again.

"Gabe, come lie down with me."

He moved beside him before squeezing in beside him, settling one broad arm over his back.

Jack hummed, content, before burying himself in Gabe's side, enjoying the warmth exuding from his body.

“Someone’s cuddly.” Gabriel teased.

“Am I not allowed to be?”

He ran his hand through Jack's hair. "Never said that."

Jack didn't bother to answer, shoving his face into the spot between Gabriel's shoulder and neck.

His ass was squeezed.

Jack startled out of his light dozing, not expecting the action. He stared at him, unimpressed. 

Gabriel laughed and lifted his boyfriend's chin, giving him a slow, lazy kiss.

Jack leaned into it, enjoying the feeling of Gabriel's lips moving softly against his own. It was intimate and loving, a type of kiss Jack didn't think he had experienced with anyone outside Gabriel.

They were interrupted by a sharp tap on their door. "John, Gabriel, the soup is ready."

Reluctantly, Jack pulled away, untangling his body from Gabriel's. Once stood, he stretched out his back, still a bit stiff from everything, before heading toward the door.

"We can cuddle later," Gabriel said with a smirk, watching how Jack’s shoulders stayed slumped and the blue eyes turned to look at the bed longingly. 

He bumped his shoulder into Jack’s, guiding him to the table. He even pulled out the chair for him. 

Jack raised an eyebrow, but took a seat anyway, indulging Gabriel’s chivalrous mood. He wondered if he was just showing off for his mothers. 

Michelle and Raven sat down across from them, serving up the soup and fresh bread.

Jack took the butter, slathering his bread in it before dunking it into his soup. He hadn’t eaten food this delicious in a while. The food on base tended to get bland and tiresome after a week or two of eating the same thing.

“How are you both?” Raven asked after a while.

“I’m going to finally be put back on active duty soon,” Jack commented, tearing apart his bread. 

His mothers looked up, a flicker of fear crossing Michelle’s face. She dropped her gaze.

Jack noticed both of their reactions, eyes glancing downward to the soup. He dipped the bread into it and took a bite. “It was going to happen eventually. Even when I was Strike-Commander I still went on missions.” Albeit they were mostly staged ones. He didn’t tell his mothers that though. It wouldn’t help. 

“We know,” Raven said softly, taking her wife’s hand. “You’re our son, John, we worry even though we know you can take care of yourself. We don't want to lose you.”

He sighed. “I know.” 

“There’s a reason you were Strike-Commander,” she reminded, a note of pride in her voice. “You're a leader, John. You're good at what you do. And not everyone can say that their son dedicates his life to keeping the world safe, one battle at a time.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Jack’s smile turned into a smirk. “Except maybe you should rephrase that when you have the second Strike-Commander sitting at your table as well.”

She smiled when Gabriel laughed, her expression fond. "We're very honoured to be with such esteemed company."

"He also led us to victory during the first Omnic Crisis!"

Michelle’s eyes widened. “Oh…” 

Gabriel shrugged, a faint smile rising to his lips. “I was doing my job.” 

Jack snorted. “Don’t let his humbleness fool you, he also likes the glory.”

He was elbowed, and his mothers laughed. 

Jack joined in on the laughter, enjoying the company of his loved ones around him. But there was still an emptiness... He wished Jesse could be there to enjoy the moment as well. 

“Have you heard anything from Jesse?” Michelle asked hesitantly. 

Jack frowned. “No.”

She nodded. “I’m sorry, Jack…” 

“Has he contacted you anymore since then?” he asked, fingers tapping on the table. 

“No, he hasn’t… We’ve been waiting to see if he might.” 

Jack sighed, slowly eating his soup. Every day the hope that he would hear news from his son got smaller and smaller. Jesse didn’t want to be here with him, and he made that explicitly clear. And the more time that passed, the clearer the sentiment became.

When Raven finished eating she stood, taking her bowl out to the sink to wash it, sighing softly to herself. She passed the table, gently running her hand over Jack’s hair as she did, and left. The door clicked shut after her. 

Concerned, Jack stood up, following after her as she walked to the stables, getting the saddle for her horse and climbing on. She raised her brow at her son. 

Nodding, he took his own saddle out, worn from his younger years when he would go out riding almost everyday. Swiftly, he saddled up the horse and hopped onto her, joining Raven. 

“I’m surprised you left Gabriel inside,” she said, easing hers forward. 

“I guess he’ll have to be on his own while Mom interrogates him,” he joked.

She chuckled softly, making her horse trot.

Jack copied her, keeping pace easily with his own horse. “Is everything okay?” 

“I just… miss when you were younger. Time has gone by so quickly…” she answered, soft and sad.

Jack looked at her with a calculating eye. She normally never talked like that. “What brings this up?”

“I’ve been thinking more lately, about the family.” 

He hesitated. “Why…?” 

“I had a doctor’s appointment a few weeks ago, before we knew you were coming. Michelle didn’t want me to tell you...”

“Ma… what-what did the doctor tell you?” he pressed. 

She paused, taking a breath.

“I’m sick, John.” 

It came out as a whisper.

He looked straight ahead at the path in front of them, heart jumping with dread. “If it was just a cold or a flu you wouldn’t be telling me this. What do you have?” 

“Cancer.” 

Jack breathed in heavily. “What type?”

“I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I have another appointment soon to discuss treatment. We’ve hired someone to come help me around the farm, he’ll take care of the crops while I focus on the livestock with Michelle. I’m worried we won’t be able to get enough done around here. I don’t want to lose the farm…” She shook her head, tightening her grip on the reigns as she tried to steady her shaking voice. “We’ll try to keep you informed, alright? We know you’re busy, and things can get busy here too, but you can always call us if you need anything.” 

Hands felt like they were squeezing at his throat. He wheezed in air, but tried to keep a straight face. “Thanks. I’ll try to call once a week and ask about how you’re doing.”

"Only if you have time, alright?" she insisted, looking over at him. The corner of her eyes seemed to be dragged down by the beginnings of wrinkles.

He nodded. "Of course. I don't think he could phone if I'm in the middle of the Sahara on a mission," he joked weakly.

She laughed, smiling at him brightly, eyes crinkling. “I’ve missed you, Jack.”

He playfully stuck out his tongue at her. "You can call me too, you know."

"I don't know when you're busy,” she reminded, “And I spend most of my time in the fields, the farm is mine."

He rolled his eyes. "And people tell me _ I'm _ stubborn."

She laughed. "I  _ know _ I'm stubborn."

They kept riding, falling into comfortable quiet. It was Jack who broke it as they lapped the house.

"What happens if you don't recover, Ma?" 

She didn't answer right away, slowing the horses. 

"The farm goes to you, you can decide what to do with it. Michelle will stay with a family friend until she can find somewhere more permanent to stay. She can't stay here alone, it's too much work for her. The farm has always run on my side of the family."

He closed his eyes and nodded, his words catching in his throat.

“Michelle will call if anything goes wrong... you have our word."

"Alright. I just... I don't know what I'd do if you're gone..."

"You won't have to." She reached over to catch his hand and give it a squeeze. "Now tell me about that boyfriend of yours."

 

* * *

 

It was dark by the time they returned back to the house, the cold night air giving them chills as they took care of the horses.

"I can take them," she said, getting the saddle off hers. "Go on in."

"Okay, I'll see you in a bit, Ma." Jack gave her a little smile before heading back into the farmhouse. All he wanted to do now was hide under his covers and ignore the world for a while.

The house smelled like fresh cookies when he pushed open the door.

He smelled the air, the sweet scent churning his stomach. He didn't feel that hungry after the conversation he had with his mother.

A lighthearted conversation carried to him from the living room, bringing with it the laughter of his boyfriend.

Entering, he shot his mom a shaky smile, the conversation she had with Gabriel dying when she noticed the look on Jack's face. He stopped beside Gabriel, and took his hand.

"Jack? What's wrong?" Michelle asked, rushing to his side.

"Nothing, Mom. I... think I'm going to go lie down for a bit. I'm still tired from the flight." He tugged on Gabriel's arm, indicating for him to follow.

She let him go, Gabriel at his heels. 

They were quiet until the door to the bedroom was closed, and he was guided to sit down on the bed. A hand was run through his hair.

"Jack?"

He didn't speak, pulling Gabriel closer to him and wrapped his arms around the other man's waist, shoving his head into his chest.

Arms came around him, and he was held firmly

"Everything in my life is falling apart," Jack mumbled into the black fabric of Gabriel’s hoodie.

“What happened?”

“Ma has cancer.” 

Gabriel paused. "Treatments are better than ever. We can get her the best care out there."

"We can. But she's planning for if she dies..."

"We'll look into what strings we can pull, to make sure she won't need those plans."

Jack nodded, entire body trembling. "I don't want to lose her too."

"You're not losing her. You're not. And we're getting Jesse back."

"It's getting harder to believe that, Gabe."

"We'll find him. That's why we're here, to look for him."

He nodded, not quite believing the words, not anymore. Detaching himself from Gabriel, he moved to the top of the bed, laying down among his pillows.

Weight settled behind him, a hand resting on his hip, and Gabriel reached for the remote to turn on the television.

Jack turned his head toward him. "The tv? Now?"

"To take your mind off what's going on here."

He looked at Gabriel, searching his face for any discomfort. "Alright."

Gabriel simply settled behind him, head propped up on his fist.

He didn't bother turning his head, just opting to listen. He didn't really know what Gabriel had decided to change the channel too, he knew originally he had it set to some comedy channel. 

Eventually he heard the monotonous drone of a newscaster. Not his first choice, but he understood why Gabriel chose it.

_ "-is on the scene of the train robbery that left two dead, and seven wounded." _

_ "It appears that the thieves stole a variety of state of the art weapons. Witnesses claim that it's the work of a small nearby gang, and while police are still investigating, no suspects have been found." _

Jack felt Gabriel frown against his back.

“The fuck?” Gabriel mumbed. 

Jack squeezed his eyes shut. “What a mess.”

“You got any movies?” he grumbled, reaching for the remote again. “I don’t want to hear about anymore bullshit like this.” 

“Don’t know what I have left here, to be honest.” 

He started flipping through the channels to look for anything else, finally settling on an old children’s movie. 

Jack paid little attention to what was happening in the cartoon, focusing instead  on the feeling of Gabriel’s body against his own. It kept him anchored and knowing he was there made dealing with everything in his life easier. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was a butt that needed to be wrangled into shape. sorry about the delay! 
> 
> kenwave can be found [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy can be found [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/)


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a bit of a heads up for suicide idealization in the chapter.

“This is the place,” Gabriel said, easing the truck to a stop and turning off the engine. He released his seatbelt and opened the door, stepping out onto the dusty road. 

Jack walked out into the sun, the rays hitting his skin, warming it. It didn’t look very interesting. Just a regular small town with buildings in various states of upkeep. Gabriel parked right near the train station, a large old fashioned clock standing proud in front of the entrance. 

“The police’ve done their own investigation, but they haven’t found much.” 

“Huh. No evidence at all?” 

“Nothing. The eyewitnesses said the people shooting at them had their faces covered.” 

“Damn, that’s it? Nothing left behind or anything?” Jack asked. 

“The job was in and out.” 

“Then why are we here? If they found nothing then how can we even help?” 

“I got intel from home,” he said, heading toward the gas station they’d pulled into the parking lot of. 

“What intel?” 

“This is where Jesse sent that message from.” 

Hope filled Jack eyes. “Really? How did you find that out?” 

“Had the boys trace it for me while we were at your parents’ house. I’ve got reason to believe Jesse was here. I don’t know if he still is, but we’ve got somewhere to start looking.” 

Jack paused. This was news to him. "Why didn't you tell me about Jesse earlier?"

“To surprise you.”

"I would've liked to know right away though." Jack commented as they entered the train station. The civilians all gave them a wide berth despite neither of them wearing anything to indicate them as law enforcement.

“Noted.” 

"I'll let it slide this time," he joked.

Gabriel snorted, making his way to the ticket booth.

"We buying a ticket? I don't know about you but I didn't ask for enough time off to go on a train ride far away."

Gabriel raised a brow. "I'm getting them to put up signs about Jesse."

Jack nodded, his stomach churning with nerves. He didn't want to get his hopes up about their search in the town. He doubted that anyone would have paid enough attention to a young boy on his own, it wasn't an uncommon sight.

His hand was taken with a reassuring squeeze.

He held onto it tightly, reluctant to let it go.

"How can I help you?" the woman behind the glass asked when they approached.

"We were wondering if this boy came through here?" Gabriel held out a poster that had Jesse's face on it. It was hard to find a picture of the young teen on his own so the picture ended up being an older one of him and Jack but with Jack mostly cropped out of it.

She squinted at it, frowning. "I'm afraid I can't recall seeing him, no."

Jack sighed. "Thank you anyway, miss."

"Could we put up a few posters?" Gabriel asked, and she nodded hesitantly before reaching for them.

"We can put them up for you, sir."

"Thank you, that really means a lot to me." Jack gave the woman a weak smile.

She returned the smile after a moment, setting the posters aside to deal with later.

Once they turned around, Jack let his face fall. "No way anyone's going to remember a boy who ran through the town ages ago."

"Jack," Gabriel said, touching his cheek. "We're still looking."

"It's been a year, Gabe. Normally people give up by this point.. Maybe I should just accept he's never coming home."

"We're not most people. It's only been a year."

"Did you know kids are normally given a time frame of 48 hours to be found or they're most likely dead? I don't think it's going to be that much longer for anyone Jesse's age. Sure, he's smart. But a year is a long time for anyone to be on their own."

Gabriel scoffed and stepped back, crossing his arms. "I  _ know  _ about the 48 hour rule. But we heard from him weeks after he disappeared. I'm not giving up on him."

Jack sighed heavily. "One of us has to be hopeful."

"We'll see if he contacts your parents again."

“Alright.”

The tension slowly left Gabriel's shoulders, and with a tired sigh he offered Jack his hand once again.

Gladly, he took it, squeezing it to help distract himself from the thoughts plaguing his mind.

"We should get going, if we want to get back before we're supposed to be on duty."

"Yeah, alright. They're finally going to put me on active duty so I'd rather be punctual for that."

Gabriel nodded, guiding him back toward the door.

 

* * *

 

Jack breathed heavily, pulse rifle in hand as he peered around the corner of a building. These were the missions he remembered. Some of the members of his squad were bleeding and injured, they had to engage in actual combat. Having missions that weren’t staged was a blessing. He finally felt like a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders. 

" _ Jack, report, where are you? _ " Ana called over the comm.

"We're closing in on the target," he whispered, examining the surrounding area with help from his visor.

_ "Hold your position, I've lost sight of you." _

Jack made a sound of affirmation, motioning for the other agents to still and wait for Ana's confirmation. When she gave it they moved out, Jack at the front.

He looked at his surroundings, nothing out of the ordinary stood out to him so he gestured for his fellow soldiers to follow after him, weapons at the ready.

"Be careful, I'm reading heat signatures," Flanagan said from behind him, voice low as he spoke into the comm. 

_ "I'm watching over you," _ Ana said.

Jack nodded, moving on ahead. He kept a careful eye out for any extra movement he knew wasn't from any of his soldiers. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. 

Suspicious.

One of his men stepped out of line, a mistake. He stepped down just as another caught sight of it and cried out. The mine went off with a blast.

It happened so sudden, no one had a chance to react. Blood and body parts splattered everywhere, some soldiers narrowly dodging the flesh while others had splatters of it on their entire body. 

Their enemies emerged from all sides, from the darkness of buildings surrounding them. Gunfire began to rain down upon them.

Jack swore under his breath. " _ Move _ !" he shouted at his team, dodging from a spray of fire aimed directly for him.

His men scrambled behind cover, the comm full of curses laced with the cries of the wounded. 

_ "Ambush," _ Ana hissed.  _ "I'm attempting to clear a path for a retreat." _

Jack shot down a couple of enemies, but it hardly helped. There were just too many of them. He ducked behind a smaller building as he heard gunfire hitting the wall; seconds from being fatally hit

"They're mostly focused on me." He switched channels on his comm to the one his team communicated with. "Escape while I distract them."

_ “But sir-!” _

"No buts! This might be the only chance you got to leave, so take it!" 

He reloaded his rifle.

He took off at a sprint in break in the firing, and the men around him made their escape while he attempted to dodge bullets.

With agility that could have only been given through the SEP, he moved around enemy fire, sending pulse rounds back in short bursts. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, making him feel more alive than he felt in a long time.

_ "Jack!" _ Ana cried over the comm.

"It's fine! I can handle this, Ana," he hissed, ignoring the sharp pain of a bullet embedding into his bicep.

A dart struck him in the back. 

The pain receded and gave him a burst of energy. Sucking in air, he reloaded his clip once more and ran back out into the fray. 

He missed this.

_ "You're going to get yourself killed out there." _

Pain tore through his leg, a new wound opened by a stray bullet.

He grunted, faltering slightly, but kept going. He had to make sure his squad had made it safely to the transport and created a good distance between this place and the HQ.

It was his shoulder next, then his side. Voices shouted at one another over the comm.

He kept pushing on, using an enemy as a human shield before flinging it into another. He was starting to run out of bullets.

Hands wrapped around his arms and he was yanked back behind cover, forced to stay low.

He flailed, trying to escape from the hold, breathing heavy.

"Jack," Ana hissed in his ear, not letting go. "I am _ not _ letting you die here."

“Then at least I won’t be called weak or a coward.” 

She scoffed. “You are no coward.” 

He looked up at her, calming in her arms. His eyes tired and duller than normal. “At least someone believes that.” 

She lifted her hand to her comm. “Is everyone clear?” 

A soldier responded. “ _ Everyone’s out, ma’am. Except for Captain Morrison _ .” Worry laced her words.

“I have him here. He’s wounded.” 

_ “We’re turning around to pick you up.” _

“We’ll be waiting.” 

Jack groaned in pain. The adrenaline subsiding from his body making him more aware of all the wounds that were inflicted. Brown eyes flicked down to him.

“Of course my first mission back would go wrong,” Jack attempted to joke.

She shook her head. “You’re alive, that’s what’s important. But if you ever try to use yourself as a human shield again,  _ I  _ will kill you.” 

A weak chuckle escaped him. “I needed to get my team out.”

“You got them out.” 

“Good.” He closed his eyes, suddenly exhausted.

He didn’t remember falling asleep. 

 

* * *

 

Jack came to in waves. Eyes fluttering open before he closed them again, drifting off. He heard steady beeping around him as well as the murmur of voices which prevented him from falling back asleep. He shuffled lower down on the lumpy hospital bed, pulling the blanket up and over his face. 

Hands were on his shoulders as soon as he moved, a tearful gasp accompanying them. 

“Huh?” he mumbled. His eyes felt heavy, refusing to stay open. 

“ _ Jack _ … You’re awake…!” 

The voice was familiar. “M-Mom?” 

“H-Hi, Jackie…” Michelle whispered, finding his hand to hold. 

Her grip on it was gentle, but he could tell she wanted to squeeze his hand. “Why’d you fly out all the way here?” he asked, confused.

“Gabriel called…” 

“Did he?” 

“He told us you were hurt…” 

He groaned as he sat up in his bed, the stitches pulling at his skin. “Yeah…”

Her hands flew to his shoulders, careful of his wounds. "Oh, Jack..."

"It's okay, Mom." Jack grasped her wrists lightly.

There were tears in her eyes.

"D-don't cry... please..."

“I don’t want to  _ lose you…” _

“It’s okay Mom, I’m fine,” he muttered. 

She reached for a tissue. "I don't want you to fight, Jack... I need you..."

Tears started to well up in his eyes "I'm sorry, Mom, but it's my job. I need to do it -  I can't just sit around and do nothing all day." His breath came in quick. "I can't... I just... it's the only thing that makes me feel alive."

She gave a hiccuping laugh, shaking her head.

Jack pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her back gently as she sobbed into his shoulder. "Mom... I-I don't want us two to be the only ones left."

"She always has been. I remember when her parents tried giving the farm to her city type brother when they decided they wanted to move to the city. She was furious and said there no way he could do a better job than her and set out to prove it," she said fondly, softly.

Jack laughed. “She never told me this.” 

Michelle smiled. "It's because she almost failed.She didn't know what she was doing. She didn't pay close enough attention when she was a kid to how things were done, and then suddenly she was on her own."

"She sounds like me," Jack commented, chuckling.

"You took after her so much, Jackie... You are her proudest achievement." She ran her hand through his hair gently.

Tears fell from his eyes. "Despite not contacting either of you for a decade?"

"Can I be honest?" she asked slowly.

“Yes.”

"She was more hopeful than I was that you'd reach out to us again... She was the one who watched the news for stories about you, who rushed for the phone when it rang..."

Jack sniffled.

"She never gave up on you." She touched his cheek. "So we can never give up on her."

"I'm not dealing with this well, Mom. I already lost Jesse. I-I can't lost Ma as well."

She hesitated. "Gabriel asked me how we'd feel about moving nearby, Jackie..."

"But... you'd have to give up the farm if you did."

“Raven is considering it.”

"I don't want her to give up what she loves, Mom."

"She could get better treatment here than at home."

"But the farm is her life." Jack closed his eyes. He couldn't imagine his Ma without the farm. It always made her happy to take care of the various animals they had, even working in the garden in the strong heat of summer, sunhat on her head, dirt underneath her fingernails. That was when she looked the most at peace.

She drew him close. "She hasn't said yes or no."

"I don't want her to be here if she's absolutely miserable. Would that really be better?"

"But she has a better chance of surviving... There's no good decision."

She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "I can't imagine losing her, Jack. I want to be selfish and ask her to come here, because I can't imagine life without her."

He looked Michelle in the eyes. "She'll always be in your life even if she's no longer with us, Mom.”

She ran her hand over her face, and did what she could to wipe away her tears before standing, his hand in hers. “I love you, Jack.” 

He grasped it tightly. “I love you too, Mom.” 

“We’re here for you, alright? Please… don’t forget that. Promise me you won’t forget,” she insisted softly. 

“Yeah…” Jack’s voice trailed off, staring ahead at the wall. 

She leaned over to kiss his hair before slowly letting go. She left, the door sliding shut behind her. 

He watched her leave, heart dropping as soon as she left. He didn’t want to be left alone in the infirmary with only the blank white walls for company. He let out a heavy sigh. 

It wasn’t long before he was visited again, this time by Ana and her daughter, Reinhardt at their heels. 

His eyes followed their movement, tired.

“How are you?” Ana asked, walking briskly to the seat beside his bed, though she didn’t take it. She crossed her arms loosely over her chest, looking down the end of her nose at him. She looked every part of a disapproving mother.

“Sore. Tired.” He reached for the glass of water beside his bed, taking a sip. 

She hummed, nodding, the grip on her arms tightening. “That tends to happen when you riddle yourself with bullets.” 

He flinched at the tone of her voice. Despite not being his own mother, it sure felt like it sometimes. “I had to let the others escape.” 

“Not like that.  _ Never _ like that. We could have lost you. We almost did. That is  _ not _ a sacrifice we are willing to make. You may believe your life has become worthless, but that is not your decision to make. As Gabriel’s second in command I am removing you from active duty. Do you understand?” 

“What?!” he hissed. “You can’t take me off of active duty! I just got back on!” 

“I don’t care. You may be a super soldier, Jack, but you are not immortal. Until you pass a psych evaluation you will not be allowed anywhere near a battlefield, by my orders. We cannot risk losing you.” 

“I could just get Gabriel to waive the orders.” 

“He agrees with me.” Her eyes narrowed. “I wish you the best of luck with getting him to side with you.” 

Jack averted his eyes, glowering at his bedsheets. “Why do you want to trap me here?” 

“Because it’s better than watching you die out there,” she said, her voice softening. She set a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “We have other work for you to do.” 

“We’re soldiers, Ana. We knew what we were signing up for.” Processing her other words he looked up, frown deepening. “You going to make me do paperwork all day for the rest of my life?” 

She chuckled, shaking her head. “No. I would not torture you so.” 

“It’ll be torture either way.” 

She arched a brow at him, folding her arms again. By the door, Reinhardt tried to muffle a laugh. 

“What would I be doing, then?” 

“Leading a small team of specialized soldiers on a classified mission,” she answered, moving to join Reinhardt. “But as having you do it would be, to use your words, ‘torture’, I will have someone else to lead your team.” 

He narrowed his eyes in confusion. “That doesn’t sound like off active duty to me, Ana. What are you getting at?” 

“Officially, you would be.” 

“Fine. I’ll take it.” 

“Your team is ready. You’re finding Jesse.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading!


	24. Chapter 24

Jack was quickly shuffled out of the infirmary as soon as his wounds were healed, which hadn’t taken long. Some of his joints were stiff from laying down for such an extended period of time, so he was glad to finally move around. 

He smiled when he was greeted by his parents, Michelle eagerly pulling him into a gentle hug. 

“Look, no permanent damage!” he joked. 

“I’m just glad you’re alright.” 

He hugged Michelle back after a moment, relishing in the comfort of another human. He had been lonely while in the infirmary. “I didn’t know you knew when I got out.” 

“Gabriel called,” she replied. 

Jack nodded. “I guess he was too busy with work to see me out…” 

She pulled back to look up at him, her eyes soft and warm. “Hopefully you can see him today.” 

“Maybe.” Jack turned to face Raven, who was looking more haggard than she normally did. “How are you holding up, Ma?” 

She lifted her head, dragging her eyes up to his. “I’m fine.” 

She gave him a smile that didn’t even try to reach her eyes. Her nails dug into her arms where she had them crossed, tight to her chest. 

He frowned at the sight before him. She looked anything other than fine. He didn’t bring it up though, deciding to let her have some reprieve of people doting after her. 

“We really shouldn’t keep you,” Michelle said reluctantly, still holding her son’s hand. “We know you’re busy, but we just wanted to see you before you got swept back up in your job.” 

“I, uh, have a lot of extra time now, you don’t have to rush off. I’ve been taken off of active duty,” Jack lied. 

“But why?” Raven asked, frowning. “You have skill, you do better in the field.” 

He felt Michelle wince. 

“Apparently what I did was too reckless. I… need to pass a psych eval before I can go back,” he admitted, avoiding their eyes. 

“A psych eval…? Jack…” 

“Everything’s fine.” 

Raven stepped forward, looking up at their son. “Perhaps you should look into counselling… You’ve gone through so much…” 

He frowned. “I don’t know, Ma. You know how it turned out back in Indiana.” 

“This is different. You’ve lost a child, Jack. That’s hard to recover from, even for someone like you. You’re strong, but it’s alright to need to turn to others for support.” 

“I have you two, and Gabriel and Ana as well. I have all the support I need, Ma. Everything’s fine with me.” He looked at Raven. She had become paler since the last time he saw her, losing her healthy tan from the hours she had spent out on the farm. She trembled slightly, more grey in her hair. 

She was wasting away, Jack realised. 

Michelle moved to tug her against her side, setting an arm around her waist. 

“We believe in you, Jack,” Michelle told him. “We’ll be close, now. We’re staying nearby.” 

“You are?” Confusion flooded his mind. “What about the farm?” 

Raven dropped her head. “It was sold.” 

Jack’s eyes widened in shock. “What? But you love the farm!” He looked between his mothers. There was a cloud of depression that hung around Raven, while Michelle looked away, shoulders hunched inward, almost ashamed. 

“It’s… It’s better this way,” Michelle forced out. “We’re closer now to care, it’s so much less work, i-it’s better here… It  _ will  _ be better here...” 

Jack placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, looking at her with sad, blue eyes. “It’s okay. You don’t need to explain yourself to me.” 

She glanced at Raven, bottom lip trembling, and pulled her close. Raven didn’t resist, but she didn’t lean into it either. “I made the right decision…” 

He looked sadly on at the display in front of him. “It’s not me you’re trying to convince, Mom.”

“I… should get her back to the hotel…” 

“Okay. Take it easy. Especially you, Ma.” Jack gave Raven a hug, holding onto her for longer than he normally would. She was thinner than before. 

“We’ll see you soon,” Michelle said. 

“Bye Mom.” Jack gave her another hug. 

They left together, hand in hand.

He watched as they left, their movements showing how tired they were from the strain Raven’s sickness put on them. 

He was only distracted when someone cleared their throat. He turned his head in their direction, startled out of his mindless staring. Gabriel joined him. 

Seeing his boyfriend, Jack turned fully to him, bringing his arms around him and pulling him into a hug.

“Good to see you, Jack,” he said warmly. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m not riddled with bullets.” Jack laughed.

He snorted, patting his back. “ _ Good _ . Next time don’t get filled with them to begin with.” 

Staring into the deep brown of Gabriel’s eyes, Jack frowned. “You didn’t visit.”

“I was dealing with something, sorry. I meant to.” 

"I get it." Jack sighed heavily, pulling Gabriel into a leisurely kiss. Their lips moved together slowly, neither of them in a rush. Fingers slipped into his hair, the other hand coming to rest on his hip.

"Someone's handsy." Jack chuckled.

Gabriel grinned, leaning in to press a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth and start to suck. The hand resting on his hip moved straight for his butt cheek and squeezed.

Melting into his touch, Jack moaned. "Work got you stressed out?" he whispered. "I can help you unwind."

"I might just take you up on that."

"Yeah?" Jack raised an eyebrow, gently nipping at Gabriel's lower lip. "What do you have in mind?"

Gabriel captured his lips again, deepening it and pulling them flush against each other, hand not leaving his ass.

Jack hummed contentedly against him, wrapping his arms around Gabriel's waist. "We going to do this in the hall? I thought we'd like our reunion to be somewhere more... Private," Jack teased, grin on his face. Before long, his smug grin was replaced by Gabriel's mouth on his own.

"I want you," Gabriel said hungrily, moving his lips to the side of Jack's neck.

Another moan escaped from his lips. "How do you want me?" His voice was breathless.

"On your knees."

Jack licked his lips, eyes glassy. "As much as I'd like to, we shouldn't do this in the hall."

"Jack," he growled, voice desperate and exasperated.

Taking control, Jack lips met Gabriel's, leading them toward a nearby storage closet.

The second the door closed behind them, hands were on Jack.

A sly grin made its way onto Jack's face, his kisses turning slow and languid. Giving Gabriel a final peck on the lips before moving down to his neck, sucking a mark into it.

His belt buckle was undone and the belt slid from its loops. It clink against the floor. His pants fell next.

Jack's hand reached to the front of Gabriel's briefs, lightly brushing his fingers against the hardening bulge of his cock. He gave Gabriel's neck a final nibble before settling on his knees.

He gave him a satisfied moan, his hands going to Jack's hair.

"Someone sounds happy." Jack shot a grin up at him. Focusing his attention back to the hard cock in front of him, he licked his lips. "Haven't don't this in a while," he murmured.

"You ready?" Gabriel asked, almost breathless.

He snorted, shaking his head fondly at Gabriel. "More ready than you are, probably," his voice was breathy. 

Leaning forward, Jack tentatively gave the head of Gabriel's cock a lick through his briefs, teasing him.

Gabe's breath hitched, his grip tightening in his hair. "Jack..."

Jack hummed, pulling the other man's briefs down to his thighs, his mouth drooling at the sight of Gabriel's cock. 

Without missing a beat, he popped the head into his mouth, hands moving to grip at Gabriel's hips, sucking lightly before licking the shaft, returning the head to his warm mouth

Gabriel reached to steady himself against the wall with a moan he muffled against his fist.

Jack hummed, relaxing his throat as he pushed down on Gabriel. The weight of him hot and heavy in his mouth, Jack stroked along his shaft what he couldn't fit in his mouth.

Gabriel trembled, digging teeth into his knuckles.

Sucking, he stroked the shaft a couple more times before moving his hand further. Taking his balls in hand he gently massaged while he sucked, pulling back to focus more attention on the head.

With a gasp and a groan of pleasure, his hot release came with a short thrust of his hips. A warm liquid filled his mouth.

He swallowed, cringing slightly at the bitter taste. Giving Gabriel a couple more strokes of his hand, he stood up, a smug grin painting his features.

"You're turn," his boyfriend said.

Jack raised a light brown eyebrow. "What are you going to do, Gabe?"

"Whatever you'd like, _ cariño _ .”

Jack pulled Gabe close, kissing him feverishly. "Surprise me."

Gabriel pushed him back against the wall, leaning to suck his collarbone. A hand slid down into his underwear. A finger found his hole.

Jack gasped, the intrusion a relief. Slowly, he ground his hips against the finger. "Gabe," Jack moaned. "More. Please."

"You're excited."

"'m happy to be spending time with my boyfriend again."

"And you'll be leaving again soon," he said, moving his finger and pressing his lips to the side of Jack's neck.

Jack groaned. "Don't remind me _now._ "  
The chuckle that earned rumbled through his shoulder.

" _Gabe_." Jack wiggled his hips.  
He got what he wanted, a second finger sliding in, stretching him.

He gasped, taking in more breath. The extra stretch exactly what he needed. "Gabe!"  
Gabriel captured his lips in a brief kiss. "Be quiet."

Jack bit his lip, groaning. Tossing his head back, he exposed his neck to Gabriel, a clear invitation for the man.  
He was obliged, teeth nipping before he started to suck.

He didn't know what to focus on more, Gabriel's mouth on his neck, nipping and sucking, leaving  marks for others to see. Leaving something that lasts while he's away. Or his fingers, curling inside him, scissoring against his walls.

Gabe's free hand came to rest on his hip, his thumb gently rubbing the soft flesh while his fingers continued to move.

Jack gasped, the pleasure building. "Gabe," he groaned, mindful of his volume. "Please."

"What are you begging for?" Gabriel teased, pausing to draw it out.

"More." Jack's voice was breathless.  
Fingers thrusted deeper.

Another gasp escaped him, a litany of 'more' escaping from his lips.  
Gabe gave him what he wanted, moving his thumb to rub at Jack’s cock, going from gentle teasing to grinding the calloused pad against the sensitive flesh. Jack groaned as he ground down on Gabriel’s fingers, his orgasm washing over him. After Jack caught his breath, Gabriel kissed him gently. "Better?"

"Much," Jack whispered against his lips.  
"I was supposed to bring you to a meeting," Gabriel admitted, languidly pressing kisses along Jack's jaw.

Jack chuckled, enjoying the light brushes of Gabriel's lips. "I guess they can guess what kept us."  
"It's with your new team, you know."

"Ana briefly mentioned something about that."  
"You're leaving in a week, you need to meet with them before you go."

Jack groaned in displeasure. "I'd much rather spend that time with you."  
"Feeling's mutual, but we have work," he said, settling his hands on Jack's hip.

Jack sighed heavily. The thing he hated most about their jobs was never having that much time to spend with each other. Giving Gabriel a final peck on the lips, he adjusted himself, making himself look presentable.  
When they were both dressed, they headed out into the hall and started toward the meeting room.   
"Trust me, Jack, this'll be worth it," Gabriel said, snagging his hand.

Jack squeezed it. He missed Gabriel's presence while he was recovering. Even just being around the man made him feel more at ease.   
"I'll take your word for it."  
Gabriel pressed the button to open the door, stepping out of the way to let him in first.

Jack went through the door, pausing to take in everyone in the room.  
Reinhardt was there, as was Torbjorn, and a few others who'd worked with him in the past. There were five in total, not counting himself or Gabriel.

Once Gabriel stepped into the room, everyone stood up, saluting him.  
"At ease," he said, though a faint smile pulled at his lips. "Jack, this is the team that will be accompanying you on your mission to locate, and return, your son."

Blue eyes widened, looking at the small group in the room, Reinhardt shooting him a smile and a thumbs up.   
"Gabe..." Jack's eyes shifted to his. "Should you really be using our resources for this?"  
"It's already been approved. You're going."

Jack nodded. "Alright."  
"You've been allocated transportation, weapons as a precaution, rations and access to an account to purchase anything you require. You'll have as much time as you need, for as long as I can authorize it."

"Am I fully in charge of this operation?"  
"You are," Gabriel said. "This is _your_ mission, Jack. You'll report back to me with any findings, and my men have been ordered to assist you as necessary."  
"Yes sir." Jack saluted Gabriel.

He received a reassuring smile before his boyfriend took his leave.

Looking at the gathering in front of him he took a deep breath, gaining his courage to speak to them.   
"I know none of you signed up for this when you joined Overwatch. We're not a police force, we're a global peacekeeping organisation. However, the fact you are the ones who agreed to help look for my son means a lot. It's not the same type of work you're used to. We're not rushing into the line of fire, nor are we working with a hostage situation. We're going to bring my son home."  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find kenwave [here](http://eachael.tumblr.com/) and TimelessTragedy can be found [here](http://timelesstragedy.tumblr.com/)


	25. Chapter 25

He was just stepping onto the tarmac when he heard his name called He turned to see Gabriel jogging up. “Jack, can we talk?”

Briefly glancing back at his squad who were busy grabbing their gear and suiting up, he turned back to Gabriel, nodding. “What’s up?” he asked, gripping his pulse rifle close to his chest. 

“There’s, uh, something I've wanted to ask you about for a while,” he said, scratching the back of his neck.

Jack raised an eyebrow, confused. He shifted from one foot to the other, picking up on the nervous energy Gabriel was giving off in droves. It threw him off; Gabriel was never this nervous. He always exuded confidence and calm. 

“What is it?” Concern laced his voice. 

He reached into his pocket and withdrew something that he pressed into Jack’s hand.

Looking down his eyes widened when he saw what was placed in his grasp. A small velvet box, the material worn from being handled over and over. Panic gripped him once he registered what the box was. 

Taking a deep breath, he opened it. 

A shiny platinum band greeted him once the box was fully open, glimmering in the light of the room. It was simple, a small diamond embedded in the front, a clean pattern of stylised crosses engraved in the circumference of it. He took the ring out and held it in his hand, turning it around. 

His heart dropped, and he brought his gaze up to meet Gabriel’s hopeful, dark eyes, a nervous smile on his face. 

“Gabe,” Jack started, hesitant. He placed the ring back into the small box, closing it gently. “You… know I love you, right?” 

Gabriel’s gaze was dropping instantly, and he held out his hand without a word. 

Heaviness descended over them, and Jack complied. “I  _ would _ like to be with you one day, Gabe. I’m just not ready yet.” 

“I should have known,” he said quietly, shrugging a shoulder as he tucked the box away. He still didn’t look at Jack. “Forget I asked, alright? Just… focus on finding Jesse. I’ll keep doing what I can to help.” 

Jack nodded. “I guess I’ll go now…” 

He was pulled gently into a kiss before Torbjörn was yelling for him to hurry up or they’d leave without him. 

“See you soon, Gabe,” Jack murmured, giving him a small peck before running toward Torbjörn, any evidence of his earlier mood gone. 

When he looked back after climbing in and claiming a seat in the back, Gabriel had disappeared.

Making sure none of the newer recruits were staring at him, he placed his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes. A frustrated groan escaped him. Seconds later, a large, warm hand was being placed on his back.

“Reinhardt?” 

“ _ Ja? _ ” 

“I think I fucked up.” 

“What happened?” 

He leaned back in the seat, head thudding against the metal wall of the transport. “Gabriel proposed. I turned him down.” 

“Why did you turn him down?” he asked gently. 

All the emotions finally hit him, voice caught in his throat momentarily as he took several deep breaths. He  _ loved  _ Gabriel and yet he turned him down. The reason why wasn’t exactly easy for him to explain, he barely knew it himself. Just that he wasn’t ready. He didn’t know why he wasn’t ready. He just wasn’t. 

Jack shook his head, turning to face Reinhardt, tears pricking at his eyes. “I don’t know, Rein. I don’t.” 

“Then you didn’t ruin things, comrade!” 

“ _ How  _ did I not?” He rubbed his eyes, making sure no tears escaped. “He looked like I killed his parents.” 

“You didn’t rush,” the large man replied, setting his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “It would hurt him  _ more _ if you agreed when you weren’t ready. Gabriel will understand.” 

“He wouldn’t even look at me after.” 

“Give him time, my friend.” 

“With how busy we’ll be now, he’ll have a lot of it,” he said, sighing once more. He was pulled against Reinhardt’s side. 

 

* * *

 

 

Stepping on the asphalt, Jack and his small specialised squad returned from another one of many failed missions. With a heavy sigh, he hefted his pulse rifle onto his shoulders, exhausted from the long hours he and the others had to go through. 

They had come close this time, running out of the supplies they had brought with them rapidly, exploring one of the American deserts after a call from his moms had been traced. 

He should have known they would come back empty handed yet again. 

It also didn’t help that Gabriel was rarely ever there to greet him, their relationship having grown strained after the failed proposal. If he had known that this was going to happen when he said ‘no’ to Gabriel, then he probably wouldn’t have done it. But his reasons for it still hadn’t changed. He didn’t want to step into something he wasn’t ready for. Not yet. Not when he was still a mess. 

This time, however, the man  _ was _ waiting, standing back against the wall. His face was positively thunderous, but his angry stare was aimed at the ground, not him. 

“Gabriel.” Jack greeted, his voice betraying how tired he was. 

Dark eyes snapped up, softening. “Jack. Made it back in one piece.” 

A bandage was wrapped around Gabriel’s upper arm. 

Jack’s eyes zeroed in on the wound, an eyebrow raising. “Where did you get that?” 

“Picked up as a souvenir.”

His eyebrows furrowed. Gabriel couldn’t afford to be reckless on missions or becoming too heavily injured. The higher ups would have the man’s head and bar him from leaving the headquarters at all. And that wouldn’t be good for anyone. His lips turned down in barely concealed anger at how unconcerned he seemed by it all. “You can’t go risking your life, Gabe. You’re leading an entire organisation, what would we do if you got severely injured?”

He shrugged. “I’ve gotten worse. A grenade went off, no big deal. It was just some shrapnel, I’m fine.” 

“You’ve had worse  _ before _ when the entire world wasn’t looking up to you to lead in an era of peace.” He placed the pulse rifle in its holster, crossing his arms in front of him in displeasure. “Why were you even  _ near _ a grenade to begin with?” 

Gabriel looked away. “A mission, why else?” 

Jack looked away, a frown marring his features. Gabriel’s distance coming to the forefront of his mind. “You don’t tell me anything anymore. How am I supposed to know if you get injured on a mission or because of something else, Gabe?” 

He sighed through his nose. “I got angry at Chaudhri, went on a mission and got hurt. Calm down.” 

“If there’s nothing else you want to say then I’m leaving. I have news to track and more missions to plan.” 

Gabriel caught his wrist and pulled him close to try and kiss him.

Jack pushed away, escaping from Gabriel’s grip, anger flaring through him again. He stepped backwards, but didn’t leave, staring right at the man in front of him who scoffed and crossed his arms. 

“What’s your problem, Morrison?” 

“What’s  _ my _ problem?” Anger laced his voice, the words he’d been bottling up finally dripping out. “My problem is  _ you. _ You proposed to me and then ran off when I didn’t give you the answer you wanted. You didn’t check to see if I was okay. You didn’t think about how I might’ve felt. Hell, I even  _ told  _ you that I love you when I said ‘no’. I wasn’t ready, but I didn’t want what we had to end. Why couldn’t you  _ respect _ that instead of acting like the only one who’s hurt?” 

“You  _ won’t talk to me _ . God damn, Jack, getting you to talk to me is like pulling teeth! I’m not ending things, we  _ both _ just needed space.” 

“Maybe space is what you needed, but it wasn’t what  _ I _ needed. For once I was willing to talk, Gabe. I was willing to open up but you ran off.” 

“And how the fuck am I supposed to know that when  _ every other time _ you’ve stormed off?” he snapped back. “You could have reached out too. This can’t be one sided. I’ve tried taking things at your speed and being careful with you, but when are you going to take it at mine?” 

“When I’m ready to, Gabe. I’m fucked up, I know I am! I don’t want you to move too fast and jump into something you don’t actually want -”

Gabriel moved forward suddenly, grabbing onto the front of Jack’s shirt. He spoke through his teeth. 

_ “I know what I want, do you? _ ” 

“I  _ do _ . I’m just not ready to take the same step as you. Can you at least respect that?” he hissed. 

After a moment, he let go and stepped back, voice level and calm. “I respected your right to say no, Morrison. Otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation, now would we? I didn’t force you to say yes. And I never will. Now, you have work to do, don’t you, Captain Morrison?”  He turned away. “I expect a full report before the end of the day.”

He left.

Angry tears pricked at the corners of Jack’s eyes, traces of fear that the man he loved might abandon him for someone better, less fucked up, gripped at his heart. It's not like it would be hard.

Growling under his breath, he stormed off into the weapons bay, disassembling his pulse rifle and cleaning it with practised motions before he put it back together and hung it up. 

After taking care of that he stormed to the locker room, changing and showering faster than he normally would. He got dressed as fast as he could, and slammed his locker shut, not bothering to keep his volume down. 

There was a light tap on the door before it was sliding open and Ana was stepping in. 

“Leave me alone.” Jack’s voice was weak, unconvincing as he looked at her with red rimmed eyes. She went to him, reaching up to touch his cheek gently.

“I spoke to Gabriel. And then I heard the banging in here. Would you like to talk? I’m a good listener.” 

“I think I’ve done enough talking for today. I’ve already messed up everything I had with Gabe.” His shoulders slumped. 

“Then can I offer a word of advice?” she asked instead, loosely crossing her arms against her chest. 

A defeated sigh escaped him. “Fine.”

“Have you considered the fact that you may be… overreacting?” 

He glared at her, crossing his arms defensively. “I don’t need another person telling me I’m the one who did wrong.” 

She held up a hand. “I didn’t say that you are the one doing wrong. I simply said that you are overreacting. In fact, I’d say you’re both overreacting. Take a deep breath.” 

He did, taking a moment to just breathe. He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand down his face, trying to collect himself. “I don’t want to feel like I fucked everything up anymore.” 

“Then don’t. You didn’t. But having you two mope won’t fix anything. You said no, and Gabriel has to accept that, just like you have to accept that he wants to marry you. You’re at different stages and it hurts, but if you really love each other, and I think you do, you have to work past that. You have to talk,” she said, setting her hand on his shoulder. 

He slumped down on one of the benches in the room, the exhaustion finally catching up with him. “I  _ tried _ to.” 

She sat next to him. “Were you calm?” 

“No. He was closed off when I asked how he got injured then tried to kiss me. I was angry.” 

“You both need to talk when you’re calm.” 

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I need to finish a mission report first.” 

She nodded. “Speak to him before you leave again.” 

“I’ll try. Thanks, Ana.” 

“I care about you both, I don’t like watching you suffer.” 

“I know,” he whispered. He stood up, collecting the things he had strewn about, ready to leave. “I need to get that report done.” 

She offered him her arm. 

He took it, giving her a weak smile. 

She brought him back to his office, leaving him with a promise that she’d bring him something warm to drink and a plate of good food in a few hours. 

Jack thanked her before sitting down at his desk, paper having piled up while he was gone. Taking a pen out from the cup on his desk, he got to work on the papers first, reading through different police reports he had requested from the areas he had traced Jesse’s phone calls to. 

It didn’t take long for him to finish, nothing important to be found. He didn’t let himself dwell on it too long, knowing if he did it would start a downward spiral that he wouldn’t be able to deal with. Opening up the holo computer, he started typing away at the report, listing it as a failure. 

A notification popped up in the corner. 

Curious, he opened the message. 

_ “I know you’re mad, but I was wondering if you’d join me for dinner tonight. It’s been months since we’ve had a meal together. Let me know. Gabe.” _

He typed out a simple “ _ yes _ ” as a response, sending it off. 

_ “See you tonight _ .” 

Nerves flared in his stomach, making him feel nauseous. It was the same way he felt when he first went out on a date with someone. He felt stupid. He had gone out with Gabriel so many times, they had seen each other naked. He shouldn’t be feeling this nervous about dinner. 

Huffing, he got back to work on his mission report, typing the summary and list of injuries - or lack thereof - before sending it off. 

He went to Gabriel’s quarters shortly before dinner time.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door. 

Gabriel opened it, dressed in civvies. “Right on time, Jack.” 

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable in his uniform he nodded. “Yeah. Didn’t want to keep you waiting.” 

He was beckoned inside. 

“What’s on the menu for tonight?” he decided to ask, something safe and simple for both of them to talk about. 

“Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, beans,” he said with a shrug, moving the meal to the table after pushing aside paperwork and folders. He had to clear off a chair for Jack to take. 

“Hearty.” Jack watched, amused, at how messy the office had become. 

“Hopefully it’s just good.” 

“I don’t doubt it.” He took his seat, taking off his coat and draping it over the back of the chair. 

Gabriel sat down across from him, serving the food. 

“What brought this on?” Jack decided to ask, watching the knife carve into the chicken. 

He sighed. “You’re back for a few days, I don’t want to spend them fighting.” 

Jack looked off to the side, his hands fidgeting with the napkin set beside his plate. “It’s not like we have been spending any time together when I’ve been back previously,” he muttered sadly. 

“Chaudhri’s on my ass about everything, I’ve gotten busy. I’m sorry. You’ve been in my shoes, you know what it’s like.” 

“I know… I’ve been so lonely without you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

He shoved his fork into the mashed potatoes, taking a bite. They were the perfect level of fluffiness, cream and light seasoning throughout. Taking a sip of the white wine, he looked at Gabriel, his dark eyes as captivating as ever. 

“Where are you looking next?” 

Jack shrugged. “Haven't decided yet. All the leads we've followed have come up with nothing.” He poked at the chicken on his plate, losing his appetite thinking about it.

“You’ll find something eventually.” 

“Gabe. We need to have a serious talk and get all of this straight.”

Their eyes briefly locked. “So talk.” 

He took a sip of the wine, placing the cutlery down on his plate. “A failed proposal isn't the end of the world, Gabe. Just because I didn't say yes  _ now _ doesn't mean I won't say yes  _ at all _ .” 

“I  _ know _ , Jack. I’m not acting like it’s ‘the end of the world.’ You said no, I get it. You’re not ready, I should’ve known before I asked. I’m willing to pretend it didn’t happen, to go back to the way things were.” 

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. “I'm not  _ asking _ for us to pretend it never happened. It's something we need to accept and work from it.”

“What do you want from me?” he asked slowly, leaning back in his chair. “I’m trying to work with you.” 

“I… just want you to acknowledge how it could have felt for me.” He looked away.

Gabriel stood, moving into his bedroom to retrieve something that he put down in front of Jack. The little box that started it all. 

“Keep it,” he said. “That way I can’t ask you again until you’re ready. I know that won’t be for a long time, you’ve got a lot of work to do before then, but I’m willing to wait.” 

Jack held the velvety box in his hands, turning it as his fingers traced over the edges. “I’ve done nothing but lash out at you because I was hurt. I don’t deserve this.” 

Gabriel’s expression softened, and he tried a smile. “No, you don’t. But I love you anyways.” 

Jack scoffed, placing the small box into his pocket. “Thanks, Gabe. Always know what to say to make me feel better.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. 

The smile fell. “I was trying to joke with you. I’m leaving on a mission in a few days, a joint one with Blackwatch. You said I never tell you anything anymore, so I’m telling you now. It’s a high risk mission out west, we’re bringing the best of the available men. Just… so you know.” 

Jack stiffened. “I know you were joking…” His voice was quiet. “Be safe on your mission, Gabe. If you want me to leave now, I will.” He moved to stand up. His boyfriend stood with him, reaching for his hand. 

“Stay with me.” 

He took Gabriel’s hand. “Okay.” 

“Let’s watch something.” 

“What about all the food?” 

He squeezed his hand. “We can eat while we watch.”


	26. Chapter 26

“Reyes.” Anita’s voice was clipped as she sat down across from him, pistols strapped to her thighs. She was covered head to toe in the familiar red and black colour scheme of Blackwatch, its insignia bared on her shoulder.  

“Chaudhri.”

“I saw that Morrison returned the other day? Had fun with your boy toy?” Venom dripped from her voice.

He dug his nails sharply into the legs of his pants, grinding his teeth. “Don’t you dare speak of him like that.”

“Why not?” she examined her nails, ignoring the anger radiating from her commanding officer.

Ana rested her hand on Gabriel’s shoulder and he forced himself to calm down; lowering himself to her level was not worth it.

Noting the arrival of Ana, Anita quieted and turned to keep a watchful eye on her agents, watching as they fiddled with their weapons.

“Are you ready?” Ana asked, her hand staying on Gabriel.

He nodded, electing to focus all his attention on Ana, whose company was more worthwhile.

“How long has it been since you’ve gone on an actually dangerous mission?” Anita asked, glancing over.

“It depends on your definition.”

“A mission not meant for cameras and false faces where you risk more than a broken bone or a minor bullet wound.”

Gabriel's dark brows pulled down, the corner of his mouth twitched as he resisted the urge to say some nasty words to the Blackwatch Commander. He had been running missions longer than she had ever served, but he wouldn't give her anything new to latch onto and goad him with.

He kept his silence until the carrier rumbled to life, shuddering beneath them.

He double checked his shotguns, making sure they were both loaded and that he had extra ammo on his person.

They didn't talk for the rest of the trip, occupying themselves by checking on their teams and the mission files. Hours passed before it lurched to a stop.

Standing up, his eyes swept over the team. Everything was as it should be. "Alright team, let's move out. This gang is dangerous and they have fire power.. Watch your six."

"Yes, Commander!" his men said back.

He turned to Ana. "I trust you to keep an eye on everyone."

She nodded. "I have your back."

He gave her a sharp nod in acknowledgement. "Alpha team, move out."

They followed him out, moving into position behind the diner the gang had holed up in.

He signalled for the group to surround the place, blocking off the entrances before gesturing for them to wait until they received the proper signal.

_"We're in position,"_ Ana said over the comm.

Gabriel gave a thumbs up on the direction Ana should be perched in, before giving the go ahead to the other agents.

The door was blown open with a bang, and Anita's men filed in. Within seconds, the sound of gunfire was spilling from the diner.

The sound of his shotguns rang out as he blasted several of the men at close quarters, skin and bone shattering from the spray. Like a well oiled machine, they made their way around the diner, rounding up the gang, handcuffing their arms behind their backs.

A bullet nicked his shoulder from a wide shot taken by a one of the gang members before they were gunned down.

He swore under his breath, red seeping through the wound to bleed into the bright blue of his jacket.

"Commander, my men have this floor under control, take yours below," Anita called, taking her team into the kitchen before he could even respond.

He nodded, gesturing for his squad to move on, they filed down the stairs one at a time, keeping their weapons at the ready in case an ambush was waiting for them from the floor below.

Bullets struck the wall by his head, and a man beside him fell with a cry. Armed criminals were stationed by crates of weapons below.

Gabriel bolted to the side, rolling behind a crate before using the dead man there as a meat shield to protect himself from the shots being aimed at him.

"You're not gettin' out'a here alive!" one spat over the spray of bullets.

Gabriel growled, reloading his shotguns. "Requesting backup in the lower level. We're outnumbered."

_“On our way.”_

"Good." He held the body in his arms, moving toward his next victim before breaking his neck with a sharp snap.

He and the remaining troops held them off until backup arrived, attacking from behind.

It didn't take long before they had the remaining gang members surrounded, cuffed and subdued with their weapons piled on the other end of the room from them.

Above them, the battle waged on, boots pounding on the tiles overhead.

"Keep an eye on them," Gabriel ordered, moving upstairs to see if any backup was needed.

He followed the sound of the fighting to a back room, where a few injured soldiers waited out of the line of fire, shots still ringing out from inside.

Grumbling, he raised his shotguns, aiming for the nearest gang member, finger pressing down on the trigger.

There was a cry of pain that had him turning, and a bullet bit into his own thigh.

Brown eyes widened when he saw who was hunched over, grasping at his side. He looked different - of course he did it had been a couple years after all - but underneath it all he could still see the scared kid Jack had brought back to their camp all those years ago.

And he was about to die, staring down the barrel of a stranger. Anita squeezed the trigger.

Before Gabriel could even think about what he was going to do, he jumped in front of Jesse, pushing him out of the way as the bullet hit Gabriel in the side.

Two voices called his name.

"Don't touch the kid, Anita," he ground out through gritted teeth, hand clutching the wound.

Jesse put his hands over Gabriel's, brown eyes wide with pain and panic.

"Gabriel!"

He snorted. "I'm not dying, kid. I've suffered worse." Before the teen could move his hands, however, Gabriel grabbed his wrist in a vice grip preventing him from moving anywhere.

Realization dawned on his face and he pulled, trying to get his arm free. "Let go!"

"No." He managed to take a set of handcuffs from around his waist and slapped them in Jesse's wrist, the other half on his own tying the kid to him.

"No, _no_ you _can't_! You can't take me back there!" he screamed, pulling against him with all his might.

"Too bad," he grunted. "We've put a lot into finding you again. You're not getting away that easily."

"Fuck!" He went to swing at Gabriel only to end up slumping against him when Anita struck the teen  from behind.

He shot the woman a glare but gave her a begrudging "thanks" anyway. He knew it was the best course of action in this case. A loud, screaming teen would only draw attention to them.

"Who is he?" she asked flatly.

“One of us.”

She arched a brow. "We should continue our actual mission now, if you're done playing house."

He ignored her comment. "The basement is rounded up, my squad is keeping them tied. We're just waiting on you."

She brushed past him. "He was the last one."

"Then you have nothing to give me lip for. I did my job." He left out mentioning that he did it faster than her.

"Let's move," she snapped, giving her men the order to retrieve the weapons and hostages.

Gabriel kept watch on the upper floor, keeping a careful eye on Anita as she moved about, talking to her subordinates. He went to move to start leading the rest of the team to the transport when he realised he had Jesse's dead weight to deal with.

"Figures."

_"Gabriel, what's going on?"_ Ana called.

“We found Jesse.”

There was a moment of silence. _“You did?”_

"I have him shackled to my fucking wrist, Ana."

_“Are either of you hurt? I’m on my way.”_

"Jesse has a bump on his head from being knocked out. I have some gunshot wounds. Other than that we're fine."

_“That is good news. Oh, Gabriel, you'll have to tell Jack..."_

"I know. I'll comm him when I have the chance." He lifted Jesse, maneuvering him carefully so he was draped over his back, managing as best he could with his wrist still bound to Jesse’s.

She jogged into sight, joining him. She briefly reached up to touch the boy's hair, her eyes soft and sad.

"I'm glad he was found alive. I know Jack was scared he wouldn't be..."

Gabriel nodded, the helpless and defeated look on Jack’s face coming to the forefront of his mind. “He was close to giving up. I think he thought it would hurt less to give up.”

“And yet, here we are. Jesse’s _alive_ …”

“Alive, kicking and screaming.” Gabriel snorted, looking at the kid on his back.

“You should bring him back to the shuttle, we can clean up here.”

He nodded, carrying the extra weight of the boy on his back was easier than it should be, especially for someone his age. He was worryingly light. A frown marred Gabriel’s features as he thought more about what Jesse could have gone through in the years he was gone.

He jogged back to their vehicle and brought Jesse inside, laying him down gently on one of the seats and strapping him in. He stayed with him until the others filed in, letting Ana take her place to check on the teenager.

It was when the shuttle was moving that he pulled out his phone and typed out a message to Jack.

_‘Come home, it’s important. Bring your team.’_

_‘What could be important enough for me to be called back?’_ was the response that he received not even a minute later.

_‘Please, Jack.’_

_‘How soon do you need us there?’_

_‘ASAP.’_

_‘Acknowledged.’_

He slid his phone back into his pocket and glanced over at Ana, frowning to himself. “How’s the kid?”

“Malnourished, it seems,” she said. Her hand softly touching Jesse’s forehead. “His temperature is fine. He isn’t ill. We won’t know the extent of his health until we get him a visit with the physician.”

“Is he still bleeding?”

Ana lifted the shirt, the fabric sticking to his skin, peeling away and reopening the wound. “He had stopped. I’ll clean and dress it so it shouldn’t get infected.” She stood, and went to the first aid kit, grabbing the items that were needed before returning.

The boy stirred.

“Jesse?” Ana asked, gripping his hand.

His eyes opened and he groaned, reaching to put pressure on his side.

"No." Ana moved his hand out of the way. "I need to clean and bandage this."

He tried to pull back out of her reach. "Don't touch me."

"Tough. You are getting this wound treated." She poured some disinfectant onto a cotton ball, lightly dabbing it against his skin. It came away pink, blood still coming off of it, but not enough to be worrying.

He gasped, though he grit his teeth to try not to make another sound.

"It's okay to let it out," Ana soothed, her free hand stroked his hair before she went to replace the dirty cotton ball with gauze and medical tape.

He jerked back instead, sneering.

She didn't say another word, finishing dressing the wound in silence.

"Now let me look at your wound, Gabriel," she said, gesturing her head toward the weapons store.

"I'm fine," he said, glancing over, his hand resting against his side.

She looked at him, lips turned down. "We both know you are lying. Now come."

He sighed and followed after her.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "What are we going to do about Jesse?"

He heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We hand him back over to Jack."

"You saw how he reacted when _I_ touched him to dress a wound, Gabriel. How do you think he's going to be around Jack?"

"I don't know, Ana," he admitted, glancing back toward the boy. "I've told Jack to come back to the base but I haven't told him we have his son. I'm not sure he's ready for that kind of information. We'll have to try getting Jesse to calm down on our own _before_ Jack gets back and finds out the shit his son's been involved in."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is a mess."

"You've got that right. But look at the bright side, the kid's _alive_ , and in our custody. We can bring him back to Jack in handcuffs instead of in a body bag. We're just going to have to figure out how to keep him in the base. Now that he's a criminal..."

"Now that he's a criminal part of a wanted gang it's going to be a lot harder than if he were a runaway."  
The gears in his head started turning. "Unless..."

"Don't explain your thinking to me, I'm not his parent."

"No, but hear me out, if I suggest something to Jack and it won't work, it's getting his hopes up for nothing. The only way we can keep Jesse around and out of federal prison is if we give him a place. What better than Blackwatch?" he said seriously, looking down at Ana.

"I don't see how that will keep him safe from prosecution."

"He'd be useful there," he insisted. "We'd be redeeming a criminal by utilizing valuable skills. He's  already got some training, and he was giving Chaudri trouble."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying you want to use your boyfriend's son to bother the head of your blackops devision?"

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, ignoring the sting from his wound. "That'd just be an added bonus."

"You are not very believable." She noticed his discomfort, stepping forward to take a look at his wound.

He lifted his arm to make it easier to reach, looking away. "You got a better idea of what to do with him?"

"No." Her focus was completely on Gabriel's wound. She removed a bullet that had lodged itself in him, quickly sterilizing it before sewing the skin shut, covering it with a bandage. "Be careful. We don't want you opening that."

"When am I not careful?" he asked, giving her a smile. "We'll figure out what to do with Jesse, I just hope this fixes things instead of making them worse.”

"That remains to be seen."

His shoulders sagged.

She rested her hand on his shoulder. "The rest is up to Jesse and Jack. There is nothing more we can do for them."

"I just want to _fix it_... I'll call you when Jack gets back to the base, that's not going to be pleasant."

Ana sighed heavily. "It is not your responsibility to fix someone, Gabriel."

"Mindset I got from dating Jack," he said.

She frowned. "That's not healthy."

He shrugged. "I love him, Ana, it's worth it. He's just... going through a lot."

She sighed again. "I know. I just don't want either of you to be hurt."

"We're working through it."

"Are you finally talking to each other?"

  
"We're trying now at least."

She gives him a long look before nodding. "I wish you the best of luck in patching everything up." Is all she says before she leaves the small room with the medical supplies to aid other wounded soldiers.

He slumped against the wall, sighing and running his hand over his face. He could use a stiff drink.


	27. Chapter 27

The message Jack received from Gabriel still confused him. The hours he had on the flight back to HQ did nothing to ease the anxiety that grew the more he thought about why he was needed back at base so urgently. Had he gotten severely injured on the mission he ran? Jack hoped not.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jack put his pulse rifle back in the weapons store. His current mission was another bust. It got harder and harder to find good leads as to the whereabouts of his son.

“Jack,” Ana called, moving to his side. “Welcome back.”

“How did the mission go?” he asked.

“It was a success. We lost a few men and a few others were injured, but we achieved the objective.”

He nodded. “Any reason for me to be called back?”

“Come with me, Jack.”

Concern flashed through him. “Is everything okay?”

“That’s… debatable. Gabriel’s waiting for you in the interrogation room.”

He shot her a worried look, eyebrows pinched together in confusion. Giving her a sharp nod he headed in the direction of the interrogation room. His mind wandered to thinking about why Gabriel would be waiting for him there. Had he done something wrong? Didn’t fill out one of his reports properly?

With a sigh, he entered the basement where the rooms were located.

They found Gabriel there, leaning against the wall and out of uniform. He looked up when they approached, dark eyes tired. He opened his arms for Jack.

Jack walked into his arms, wrapping his around Gabriel before giving him a light peck on the cheek. “Why are you down here?” he asked, concern lacing his voice.

“Dealing with a situation.”

“A situation?”

“Jack, we…. found something.”

He rested his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder, looking directly into his eyes. “What did you find that needed me here so quickly, Gabriel?”

“Jesse was there.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “J-Jesse?”

“We found him, Jack… We’ve detained him, for the time being. He was involved with the Deadlock gang.”

His breath caught in his throat. “He's alive,” he choked out. “He's alive, Gabriel.”

“He’s here.”

Tears welled up in his eyes. “He's alive.”

Gabriel pulled him back against his chest.

He buried his head against his hoodie, shoulders shaking as he tried to contain all the emotions that flooded through him at the news. Jesse was alive. Their search for him was over. He was home safe now.

“Jack, there is something you should know,” Ana said gently. “Jesse is not happy to be here.”

He froze.

“He resisted when we attempted to bring him here, and has been uncooperative since. It’s why we haven’t immediately allowed you to see him.”

“It's because I fucked up before he ran away. He hates me because I failed as a father.”

“Jack,” she scolded.

He turned to her. “Am I wrong?” His voice was sharp, daring her to argue with him.

“What’s done is done, you have your son back _now_ , you’ll gain nothing by hating yourself for past decisions,” she said, eyes narrowing. “If you believe you failed him, this is the perfect opportunity to make up for that by being better.”

He sighed heavily, deflating. “When will I be able to see him?”

Gabriel spoke up. “Now, if you want, but we haven’t gotten him to calm down.”

"I... don't know if it would help if I saw him then..." Jack looked away, shoulders slumped in on himself.

"You're still his father," Ana reminded gently.

He was hesitant to go. He didn't want Jesse to lash out at anyone else, but his son was alive. After years he would be able to see him again, make up the time they had missed and apologise for everything Jack had done wrong.

"Do you want to just see him?" Gabriel asked. "You don't have to talk to him, but you can look in, see him for yourself."

Blue eyes met dark brown. "I would love that."

Gabriel offered him a hand. Taking it, the man guided him into the room where he could see his son on the other side of the glass, alone. Jesse sat in an uncomfortable looking metal chair, hands chained behind his back.The room was empty and dull except for a metal table that had been bolted to the floor with a glass of water on it. The boy looked up at the ceiling, brown eyes tracing along the pattern of the tiles.

Tears welled up in his eyes, spilling over. "He's alive, Gabe."

Gabriel squeezed his hand. "Alive and here on the base."

“He’s so thin…”

"We'll put meat back on his bones, that's easy."

Jack let out a weak laugh. "Get all the grandma's of our agents to feed him," he joked weakly.

"Maybe just his," he said back, pulling Jack against his side.

"Let me know when I can go and talk to him, Gabriel." Jack leaned his head against his shoulder.

"As soon as he's calmer, I promise," he said. "You still have his hat, right?"

Jack nodded. "I still have everything."

“Do you want to go get it?"

He nodded. "I shouldn't be long."

Gabriel let him go, keeping his eyes on the glass.

Jack took his time going back to his room. He remembered getting the hat for Jesse, the excitement clear on his face as soon as he received the gift. He hoped that Jesse would at least appreciate getting hit hat back. It would definitely make him seem more like himself once it had been returned, Jack decided.

It didn't take long for him to find the cowboy hat. He had it placed gently on the pillow of Jesse's old bed. Gently, he picked it up in his hands.

He stayed a moment longer, letting himself be overwhelmed by memories, before taking the hat back to the interrogation room.

Taking a breath, he opened the door up to the observation area.

Gabriel took the hat from him gently. "I'll just give this back to Jesse."

Jack stared at him, eyes wide. "I thought I'd give it to him... He didn't calm down?"

"You can try," Ana said.

“Are you sure?”

"What harm will it do?" she asked, shrugging. "Maybe he will respond more positively to you than he has to us."

His eyes dropped to the hat in his hands, a sigh escaping him. "I guess there's no harm trying."

Gabriel sighed and moved to the door, opening it for him. "Good luck, Jack."

He nodded. "I'll definitely need it," he said before giving Gabriel a nervous smile. He hesitated a moment before entering the interrogation room. Hands grasping at the hat tightly, he  went inside.

Jesse didn't so much as look up, body hunched in on itself, face hidden behind greasy long hair.

"Jesse?" Jack's voice was soft.

The boy tensed. "No..."

Jack sat down at the table, placing the hat in front of him. "You sure about that?"

He flinched back against the chair he was handcuffed to.

"Jesse... Look at me, please?"

After a moment he did. The boy had been roughed up; bruises covered his face, his cheeks hollow and eyes dark, blood beneath his nose.

Sadness filled Jack at how Jesse looked. No longer the healthy kid from before, but a shell of a human. He gave his son a soft smile, taking in his longer limbs, and the extra stubble on his cheeks.

"You've grown so much."

"Three years," Jesse said back, tired eyes flicking away.

Jack laughed sadly, looking down at the hat, long fingers brushing the brim. "Yeah. I-I miss you, Jesse."

“Bull.”

Jack's shoulders slumped inward. "You think I'm heartless, huh?"

"I _told them_ I didn't want to be here, I-" Something in his face twisted and he leaned back against the chair again, rolling his wrists. He lifted his eyes back to his father's, hard and dark and hurt.

Jack looked at him, heart breaking. "I know you hate me, Jesse. But... I want you to be safe. Please. At least let us take care of you until you're healthy again."

"An' how're you supposed to do that when you're not healthy either?" he snapped back, pulling on the cuffs.

"You've been gone for three years, Jesse. You don't know what my health is." His eyes were drawn to the movement of Jesse's shoulders, the movement of the cuffs clanging against the metal chair.

"Lemme guess; you've been fighting with Gabriel, barely slept a wink in the past two weeks, and have been hating yourself more with every passing day. That about sum it up?" he drawled.

Jack crossed his arms in front of him, leaning back in the chair, meeting Jesse's eyes with a steady, blue gaze. He briefly debated lying, telling him everything was perfectly fine, but in the end, he decided telling the truth would be the best for both of them.

"Yes, Gabe and I have fought. But we've also been talking, mending things between us." He paused. "I hadn't slept in a while because I was looking for you... kept hating myself more and more because we couldn't find you, I was starting to give up. And it made me hate myself because I was giving up on you."

“I’m not wrong.”

"Not technically. But I'm not as unhealthy as you think I am, either, Jesse." He picked up the hat again, holding it as if it were fragile. "I'm sorry that I lead you to believe I didn't care about you, and that I was too proud to get help. If you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore, I understand. Besides, it's not like I'm your real father." He stood up, placing the hat on Jesse's head, combing his fingers through the hair to take out a large tangle.

"I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused," he said before leaving the room, not being able to stay another moment under his son's angry gaze.

Gabriel had his hand as soon as he exited and the door had shut behind him.

He slumped forward, pulling Gabriel into a hug, holding on tight, his face shoved into the curve between his neck and shoulder.

"I love you," Gabriel whispered, arms coming around him

"I don't know what I would do if you weren't here, Gabriel," Jack said, choking up.

"You don't have to worry about that, I'm staying by your side."

“Thank you.”

"Do you want to go back to my quarters?" Gabriel asked gently.

Jack nodded. "I-I don't think I can be alone in mine right now."

His boyfriend pulled away just enough to wrap an arm around his shoulders and guide him out into the hall.

"Thank you for letting me see him, Gabe." Jack's voice was soft, eyes downcast.

Gabe kissed the top of his head and led him back to his couch, coercing him to sit in the plush cousins. His boyfriend sat beside him, drawing him against his side.

Jack hummed, enjoying the warmth that exuded from Gabriel. It was a comfort for him, a reassurance that Gabriel was there.

"Tell me what you're thinking..."

"He hates me... I messed up and that's why he's so angry at being forced to be back."

Gabriel held him tighter, sighing softly. "He was less aggressive with you."

Jack curled against his side. "He had time to cool down."

"He fought _Ana_ ," he insisted gently, beginning to run his fingers through Jack's hair. "And me."

"He took it all out on you, then."

"Jack, he wouldn't even look at us. I think he missed you."

"I find it hard to believe that he would miss me. After how I basically neglected him before he ran away. How could he miss that?" Jack asked, looking up at him.

"What about you and your parents?" Gabriel countered, raising a brow. "You ignored them for years but when you went back they were ecstatic."

Jack pushed his hands against his eyes, groaning. "I abandon everyone I love."

His hands were pried away. "Stop. You're doing better."

Jack sighed. "I guess."

The end of his nose received a light kiss.

He chuckled at the action, giving a quick peck to Gabriel's in return.

A thoughtful look crossed the man's face and a moment later he was hauling Jack to his feet.

“Gabriel?” Jack asked.

Instead of getting answer he found himself pulled against the other man. Gabriel started to sway.

"Dancing?" Jack asked, a laugh escaping his lips. "There's no music!"

Gabriel started to hum in response, smiling.

Jack chuckled, swaying with Gabriel. "You're a sap. Rough exterior, but a marshmallow on the inside."

His foot was stepped on a little too hard to be accidental.

Jack yelped, stepping away from Gabriel's grasp. He returned to the couch, rubbing at his foot. "I'm never dancing with you again."

"One more chance? I won't step on you again."

"I don't know if I can trust you anymore, Gabe," he joked before standing up. He walked back to Gabriel's side, taking his hand before beginning to sway back and forth once more.

"You can trust me," he said genuinely, pulling him closer.

Jack's eyes were half lidded as he stared into dark brown, getting lost in the moment.

Gabriel leaned forward to catch his lips.

Jack returned the kiss, lips moving slowly against his boyfriend's.

"I love you," Gabriel said against his lips.

"I love you, too." Jack smiled.

Gabriel ran his hand through Jack's hair again fondly, kissing along his jaw.

Jack sighed, baring his neck to the other man.

“Jack…”

“Gabriel.”

"Spend the night with me. I want to help you celebrate."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "I can't turn you down, Gabriel." He pressed another kiss to his lips, Gabriel's facial hair brushing against his skin.

"I'll make something special for dinner for you."

Jack's eyes lit up. "Special? What are you going to make?"

“Whatever you’d like, _mi amor_.”

“Hm.” He took a moment to think. “Salmon?”

He grinned. “That I can do.”

Jack returned the smile, giving him a final peck on the lips. “I’m exhausted. Let me sleep until it’s done.” He looked toward Gabriel’s bedroom, longing in his eyes.

He was shooed toward it as Gabriel set to work in the kitchen. Before long, music drifted into the bedroom, slowly lulling Jack into a light doze once he had changed into one of his boyfriend’s sweaters and a pair of sweatpants, curling under Gabriel’s blankets.

It was a while before a solid knock on the door broke him out of his light sleep and Gabriel called his name.

Jack rubbed his eyes, groaning. Stretching his stiff arms, he slowly crawled out of bed, stumbling to the door. He stared at Gabriel, bleary eyed. He received a chuckle from the other man.

“Food’s ready.”

“I can’t wait to try it,” Jack said, smiling. Placing a soft kiss to Gabriel’s cheek, he headed toward the kitchen. He was followed in, and his mouth watered instantly at the smell.

“It smells, delicious, Gabe,” he commented, sitting down at the table.

A plate was brought over to him.

Taking a moment to take in the food in front of him - the salmon with lovely grill marks on it, asparagus with a slab of melting garlic butter - he grabbed his fork and knife, cutting in.

“I'm staying around for awhile," Gabriel said.

“Yeah?”

He pushed the food around on his plate almost absently, the beginning of a frown on his face. "Yeah. I'm redistributing your team too. You're staying here."

Jack frowned. "There's not much for me to do here."

"Oh trust me, there is."

He looked down at the food, pushing around an asparagus with his fork. "I'd... rather not talk about work tonight."

Gabriel shook his head with a faint smile. "Me neither, but I thought you should know."

"Alright." He stabbed the vegetable with his fork, bringing it up to his mouth to nibble on it. "How have you been outside of work? I feel like we don't get to talk about normal things anymore."

"Exhausted, busy. I haven't had much time lately to do anything but work."

"I don't miss that," Jack commented.

"There's a lot I wouldn't miss. But it helped getting you Jesse back. And we're doing something to make the world better, I would never give that up. I just wish it felt like I was doing more."

Jack laughed weakly. "I understand that all too well."

“But at least I got you.”

He chuckled softly. “It’s not much, but, I’m here to listen.”

Gabriel pushed his plate aside and leaned over the table to kiss him.

His soft lips met Jack's, moving slowly against his own. He let Gabriel take the lead, happy to take everything slow.

Gabriel drew back first to retake his seat, smiling at his boyfriend. "God, I've missed you."

"I have a phone, you know." He laughed, leaning back in his chair.

"I can't get the best kiss of my life from a phone."

Jack rolled his eyes. "I haven't already given you the best kiss of all time?"

"Every one I get from you is better."

A laugh escaped from him. He leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. "Gabriel Reyes, are you flirting with me?" "Maybe," he said, leaning forward as well.

"Good." Jack lowered his voice, pulling him into another slow kiss, bringing a hand up to cup Gabriel's cheek.

His free hand was taken.

Jack threaded his fingers through Gabriel's, their meal forgotten.

"You're gorgeous," Gabriel whispered.

Jack smiled, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Not as much as you."

"Hey, smile, Jack," Gabriel said, frowning.

"I am smiling."

He tapped Jack's temple. "Not up here you're not."

"I'm trying to smile more up there. But, it's hard, Gabriel."

"That's why we're going to work on it together, alright?"

"You're going to make me work on it whether I want to or not." Jack chuckled before pressing a kiss to Gabriel's nose.

"It's just because I care. Now eat up," he said back, ruffling Jack's hair.

"I should be telling you that." Jack pointedly didn't look at Gabriel's plate, the man not having eaten any significant portion of the meal he had created.

He chuckled. "I was too busy watching you."

Jack poked his nose. "Sap."

"You keep saying that," he said, rolling his eyes fondly.

"If you were any sappier, you would be a tree." Jack chuckled, going back to the cooling meal in front of him.

Gabriel snorted and attacked his own.

Jack smiled, watching as Gabriel tore into his meal, eating with gusto.

When they were finished Gabriel did dishes, refusing to let Jack do any as he was supposed to be celebrating after all, before he dragged him to his room and locked the door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay, but we kinda needed to take some time off from working on this. TimelessTragedy got a job and has been adjusting to it, and we won't get into what happened with kenwave because that's a huge rant for another day. 
> 
> Thanks for sticking with us, and hopefully we'll see you next week! <3


	28. Chapter 28

Before long, he was being faced with the very real fact that not everything was okay. Jesse was back, and that was fantastic, but he was a criminal now and a prisoner and they couldn't just pretend the issue would fix itself. He needed to do something, and soon.

Making a decision, he pulled Jack aside.

"Gabe?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

"You busy right now?" he asked, grip light on his wrist.

He paused a moment to think before shaking his head. "Since we've found Jesse I haven't been assigned any new missions."

"Good, perfect answer, we need to talk," was all Gabriel said before pulling him into a conference room and closing the door behind them. He motioned to the chairs.

Jack pulled one out, examining Gabriel carefully before sitting down. "What do we need to talk about?"

“Blackwatch.”

His shoulders relaxed. "What about it?"

"I'm assigning Jesse to that division," Gabriel said, not softening the blow. "It’s best for everyone this way."

His hands curled into fists. "How? I don't want my son running to his death every mission."

"Your kid's smart," he reminded, reaching over to put a hand on his. "He'll be fine. He's a survivor. Always has been, right? You remember how you found him."

A sigh escaped from Jack's lips as he took Gabriel's hand in his own. "How could I forget how he was found?" There was a pause. "I just... Don't want to lose him again. You know how much Chaudhri doesn't like us..."

"See that's the brilliance of it. She doesn't know him."

"She'll run a thorough background check if he joins, Gabe. If she doesn't know now, she'll find our soon enough."

"There are ways around it. I've got it under control. You just need to trust me."

Resigned, Jack nodded. "Alright..."

"This way he can keep an eye on Chaudri and you won't lose him. It's this or prison."

Jack clenched his fists together.

After a moment Gabriel sighed and stood. He moved to Jack and bent over to wrap his arms around his boyfriend.

"Prison. Jesus Christ. He isn't even eighteen yet." Jack placed his head in his hands.

"His charges are serious, Jack. I'm pulling as many strings as I can to keep him here. We're just lucky he can't get the death sentence."

He groaned, turning into Gabriel's warmth. "What did he get himself into, Gabriel?"

"Same shit we got into, he's just taking a different path to get there.”

"We didn't do things that gave us severe enough charges to end up in jail."

He shrugged. “Only difference is we’re military.”

Jack frowned but backed down. "If he gets injured, it's on you."

"I'm willing to take that risk. Jack, it's the lesser of evils; otherwise I wouldn't put his neck on the line. At least this way he's using his skills to help people," Gabriel said, moving his hands to Jack's shoulders to try to ease the tension he knew was building there.

"I know. But I'm his father, Gabriel, I can't help but worry about him no matter what." He winced once Gabriel's hand found one of the knots in his muscles, digging into it to loosen it up. "Thank you, though. For everything."

"I love you, Jack, I want to help you," he said, dropping his voice to a near whisper.

"I love you too, Gabe. Although sometimes I don't think I'm giving you as much as you're giving me." He turned, giving him a soft peck on the lips.

“I'm happy with what I've got.”

“I'm glad.” Jack shot him a small smile.

He kept working at the knots in the blond's shoulders, moving behind him to really get at them, but eventually he had to stop with a sigh.

"I gotta talk to the kid."

Jack nodded sharply. "Can I come with?"

“Alright, come on then.” He offered him a hand.

Jack took it, squeezing his fingers gently before letting him lead the way to the cell Jesse was being held in.

The teen glanced up when the door was opened, scowling and avoiding their eyes.

“Hello, Jesse,” Jack greeted, letting go of Gabriel’s hand.

All he received was a faint growl from his son. He ignored it, pulling out the chair in front of him and sitting down, making himself appear relaxed.

“We have a choice for you.”

“No.”

“No?”

“I don’t want any of what you’re serving.”

Jack crossed his arms in front of him. “Then you’ll be sent to prison and tried as an adult.”

Fear flickered through Jesse’s eyes.

“We could get a good enough lawyer so you don’t get the death penalty, but you’d be given a life sentence - or several,” Jack explained.

“Or…?” Jesse asked hesitantly.

“Join Blackwatch.”

“Join… Blackwatch? You mean the sketchy back operation you lead?” Jesse asked, eyes flicking to Gabriel who scowled.

“It’s not shady,” he grumbled. “Or it wasn’t. That’s where you come in, Jesse. We need someone to keep an eye out on the current commander. Someone she doesn’t know and doesn’t have as much influence over.”

Confusion clouded his expression. “Wait, Gabe’s not in charge?”

“Not anymore,” Gabriel answered, moving to stand at Jack’s side. “I got a promotion.”

Brown eyes went wide.

“It was all over the news,” Jack said, looking down at the table.

“Didn't catch much television,” Jesse said flatly, pulling at the restraints he'd been kept in.

“You’ve missed a lot, Jesse.” Jack met his eyes, he wanted to reach out to grab his hand, to help soothe the bruises that had undoubtedly formed on the teen’s wrists, but he knew any touch would be met with fury.

“She doesn’t know you’re trying to plant a mole?”

“She knows nothing about you, and I’ve taken precautions to keep that information safely out of her hands. The only two that’ll know are me and Jack.” Gabriel set his hand on the table and leaned forward. “Now make up your mind.”

Jack looked away while waiting for Jesse’s response, not wanting to see what emotions were passing over his face. Although Blackwatch seemed like the much better option - anything seemed better compared to jail - he couldn’t be too sure Jesse would choose it. He was adamant about not wanting anything to do with Overwatch.

“Fine,” Jesse finally said.

Relief flooded through Jack at the single word answer. Jesse willing to be saved from going to prison set some of Jack’s worry at ease.

"On one condition," Jesse said, leaning forward, scowling.

“What?”

"You're never taking Overwatch back over. _Promise me_."

He felt his heart drop, eyes dropping down to his clenched hands that were preventing him from fidgeting too much. With a sigh, he gave his answer. "I promise."

Jesse sank back in his seat, nodding. "Can you let me out of the shackles now?"

Jack turned to Gabriel, the call not his to make.

"Sorry, kid," Gabriel said. "Can't let you out until we've signed the paperwork to put you on her team."

The teen's shoulders slumped and he then turned his glare on the door.

"It won't be long, Jesse." Jack reached out his arm to place it on his son's shoulder, but hesitated before returning it to his side. "Is there anything you want us to bring you?"

“My… my hat.”

Jack nodded, shooting him a small smile. "That I can do. It's in the exact same condition you left it in."

Jesse gave him a weak smile. "Thanks."

Jack nodded before getting out of the seat. He didn't have much to worry about with Gabriel still in the cell with Jesse, watching him in case he decided to so something as a last show of defiance. However, he still walked back to his quarters with a purpose he hadn't felt for a long while.

It didn't take Jack long to find the cowboy hat, still resting in its usual spot on top of Jesse's abandoned bed. He took a moment to examine it, noting the dust that gathered, before blowing the dust away.

Before he knew it, he was back at the cell, Jesse and Gabriel still waiting inside.

They looked up when he entered, Gabriel having taken his chair as soon as he left stood to let Jack have it back.

Jack nodded gratefully, but didn't take a seat right away. He went over to Jesse and plopped the well loved hat on his head before returning to his spot. The sight of him wearing the hat again brought a genuine smile to his face. He may be taller, and skinnier, but Jesse was still his boy.

Jesse lifted his head after a moment, a smile on his lips. "Thanks... Dad."

Jack's smile softened, turning into something more affectionate. "Welcome back, Jesse."

 

* * *

 

 

Getting Jesse to agree was the easy part, it turned out. As was getting Jack to say yes. But getting Anita to turned out to be one of his biggest challenges yet.

He caught her as she reached her office, leaning against the door to prevent her entry. "Chaudhri."

"What is it, Reyes." Her voice betrayed nothing.

He offered her a file. "Got you a new operative."

She raised a manicured eyebrow. "And since when is it _your_ job to accept new recruits?"

"Since we caught a high profile target." He pressed the file into her hand. "You're accepting him onto your team, my orders."

She folded her arms in front of her. "And if I don't?"

"I'll do what it takes to get rid of you," he said with a scowl.

She frowned, snatching the folder from his hands. "Fine. But you owe me for this, Reyes. I'm not a babysitter."

"Good thing I'm not giving you a baby. Kid's good, I've already taken him out to the shooting range to get him to show me how he does in combat. Not to mention most of the men we lost had bullets pulled that match his gun. He's got some training already, even. There's a reason I'm putting him on your team," he said, pushing off her door. He touched his hand to the lock to let it open before stepping out of her way. "He can take care of himself."

She poked his chest. "I don't care how good the kid is, you owe me, Reyes."

He sneered, resisting the urge to growl. "Fine. I owe you."

She nodded, a satisfied smirk on her face. "I have a lot of work to do, Reyes. I'm going to have to rearrange the entire training regimen to fit in the newbie. I need to see how he does myself."

“Then come meet him.”

She frowned. "Do I have a choice in the matter?"

"Sure you do. But you're not seeing him without me there."

"You think I'm going to kill him or something?"

His smile was thin and wicked. "No. I'm more concerned about your safety."

She flicked her braid over her shoulder, scowl deepening. "You? Concerned for anyone other than your _boyfriend_? Impossible," she scoffed.

He drew himself up, looking down at her, anger flickering through his eyes. "I take it back. You don't have a choice. Get moving, Commander."

Her face was blank but her eyes sparkled with satisfaction at her comment. "Fine."

He followed after her, stewing in his displeasure.


	29. Chapter 29

Anita paused at the entrance to the training area, waiting for Gabriel to catch up.

He went in first, whistling for Jack's attention. He gave him a smile when the blond looked over and crossed the range to his side.

Jack snaked a hand around Gabriel's shoulders, giving him a smile. 

Anita stood by the door, watching the scene in front of her with a frown.

"She's here to see Jesse," Gabriel whispered. "Tell him to behave."

Jack smirked. "Think that'll stop him? He's got a defiant streak a mile long."

“No but it's worth a shot," he said warmly, glancing over when Jesse finally turned his attention away from filling paper targets with holes.

Jack gave Gabriel a peck on the cheek before turning to Jesse. "You have an audience, Jesse. Behave."

"What audience?" the boy asked, looking over at Anita from beneath the wide brim of his hat. His mouth pulled down into a frown.

"Your new boss," Anita answered. "I'm here to see what you can do."

"New boss, huh? I don't like the look of you," he drawled, turning the training pistol he was using over in his hands.

She raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"You look shiftier than I do."

She shifted her weight to one foot, arms crossed, her face blank. "You're failing the first impression part. I don't know if you can salvage anything from here."

"What do you want from me? To 'prove myself' or some shit like that? I'm joining your team 'cause I can shoot, not because I can 'make a good impression'."

"You have to work under me and others. You won't be running off on your own unless you want to sabotage the entire mission."

"I can follow orders fine, Ma'am," he said, lifting his chin.

“Uh huh.” She didn’t sound convinced. 

“Try me.” 

She pursued her lips. "You may say that now but how will I know what you're going to do in the field?"

He dropped his head, his shoulders high and hands balled into fists. " _ Try me. _ "

"Show me why I should accept you in Blackwatch, cowboy."

In the blink of an eye he had the gun in his hand, firing a shot.

She didn't flinch as the bullet whizzed past the side of her head, the loose hair strands flying abound as the bullet shot through them, lodging itself in the red bullseye of a target.

Gabriel, however, reacted by reaching to put a hand on Jesse's shoulder. It was a mistake. Jesse caught his wrist and flipped him on his back, knocking the breath from his lungs.

"Jesse!" Jack snapped, moving to help Gabriel back on his feet.

The teen stepped back away from them.

“Gabriel is the Strike-Commander, you don’t want to give anyone any reason to put you back in a cell.” 

“It was an accident,” Jesse spat back at his father. “I wasn't expecting him to go touching me!”

“I'm fine,” Gabriel put in. 

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just be careful.” 

His boyfriend set a hand on his shoulder. “Chaudhri? You got more to see?” 

“I’ll see what else he can do on my own terms. I still have that work to do that you dragged me away from.” She turned on her heel and left the room abruptly, her dark eyebrows turned downwards in a scowl. 

As soon as she was gone Jesse was moving away from them, shuddering with his head down. He swept off his hat to ran his hand through it with a few curses he muttered beneath his breath.

Jack moved beside him, hesitantly reaching a hand out to rest on his shoulder. His son flinched. With a frown he withdrew his hand. 

Making sure Jesse could see his movements, he approached him carefully, as if he were a cornered animal. Once he was close enough, he wrapped his arms around him, resting his chin against the top of the boy’s head. Fingers curled into the back of his shirt.

“You’re safe now, Jesse,” he whispered. 

“I don't feel it…”

“It’s okay. You don’t need to feel it. Just know that Gabriel and I are here if you think you’re not safe.” 

He laughed a little, stepping back out of his arms. “She’s not gonna accept me is she?”

Jack shrugged. “She might. She doesn’t really have a say if Gabe commands her to take you.” 

“Am I going back to the cells?”

“Not today.” 

“Then where ‘m I staying?” Jesse asked, crossing his arms.

Jack turned to Gabriel. “Well?”

“You’ll have quarters of your own,” Gabriel responded, not meeting his boyfriend’s eyes. “With the rest of Blackwatch.” 

Jack knew to expect something like this, but it still hurt to hear it confirmed. It didn’t make sense for Jesse to be staying with him, not when he was supposed to be acting as a mole. It would just make Chaudhri suspicious.

“Can you show me where it is?” Jesse asked.

Jack nodded. “We can do that and help you get settled too.” 

An hour later, Jesse was able to assure his father that he'd be fine on his own for a little while, he just needed some time to himself and that's normal, and took advantage of the time to himself to wander the halls. The layout to the base was something he hadn't forgotten and it took him no time at all to find the room he wanted. He put in the code, some things never changed, and stepped inside.

"Jesse?" a strong voice rang out as he came face to face with the large crusader.

He jumped a little, cursing himself for doing so. But he tried to recover quickly, putting on a smile even as his throat threatened to close. "Hey, Rein."

"You're back!" Reinhardt exclaimed, his voice sounded choked up. He moved forward, arms outstretched. "Come here."

With a shaky laugh, Jesse stepped into Reinhardt's arms, tears starting down his cheeks. "I missed you."

"You're home." Reinhardt's voice was soft. His strong arms wrapped around the boy in a tight hug. 

“I-I’m sorry for leaving that note for you…”

“Why are you sorry?” Reinhardt asked. 

“For doing that to you,” Jesse said, stepping back and running a hand through his hair. He sighed and let his shoulders fall. “You were one of my best friends here… And I made you have to be the one to tell my dad.”

A large, warm hand was placed on his shoulder. “No matter who you chose to leave a note for the situation would have been the same. Someone would have had to tell someone else.” 

“Gabriel told me things got bad here…” 

“What did he tell you?” 

“That my dad fell apart. That he stepped down immediately to look for me, that everyone was searching…” He rubbed at his left arm, chewing his bottom lip. “I was so mad when I left, I didn’t realize…” 

Reinhardt paused, considering his next words. “I don't think we really knew how bad Jack really was. He… doesn't like to talk about personal things.”

“That’s just how he is. At least… I’m back now, right? Gabe’s made it pretty permanent.” 

Reinhardt laughed, the sound loud and boisterous. “Yes. The only way you’re leaving this time is if you’re dead.” 

It made Jesse snort, a real smile forming. “Are you busy right now?” 

“Well if I was I’m not anymore.” 

“Do you want to watch a movie?” 

“Yes, my young friend! We have not watched one in so long!” He gestured to the couch situated in front of a tv. “Excuse the mess.” He chuckled. 

The teen snickered and moved to the couch, curling up on one end to leave room. “I like the mess. You haven’t changed at all.” 

A chuckle escaped the large German. “I’m not as young as you, I don’t change much.” 

Something in Jesse’s expression shifted, his mouth tightening, and he glanced away. “Do we all hit that point? Where we stop changing?” 

Reinhardt shrugged. "Only if you are happy with who you have become."

"What if you're never happy, Reinhardt? What then?" he asked, looking up at him.

"Then you reach out. Ask for help. Or you crumble apart and become a shell of who you used to be, shutting out your closest friends. Ah! But none of that! We have a movie to watch, yes?" 

Reinhardt moved to examine his small collection of movies before pulling one out.

Jesse rested his chin on raised knees, thoughts drifting into unpleasant territory. He was itching for a smoke. He curled fingers loosely into the seams of his jeans.

A large, calloused hand took his own, placing a small cube in it. "This should help with whatever ails you."

"A fidget cube?" he asked, though he started to fiddle with it immediately.

"Yes. It gives your hands something to do when your mind wanders."

"Can I tell you the truth?" he asked in a whisper, leaning on the bigger man when he finally settled beside him.

"Yes, of course my young friend."

"I never wanted to come back. I don't trust my dad to change."

Reinhardt made a noncommittal sound, stroking his beard. "And why do you say this?"

"He's been like this since he got me..." He wrapped his fingers around the cube, sighing.

"It would seem like that, yes. But, I would give him a chance to prove you wrong. He may just surprise you."

The teen fell silent, looking to the movie for distraction. Before it was over, he was asleep against Reinhardt. The large man chuckled, draping the blanket he had on the back of his couch over the teen. It was there that Jesse spent the night.

 

* * *

 

 

Jack sat at his table, a mug of coffee between his hands. Boredom gnawed at his mind. He wanted to go check on Jesse to see how he was settling in, but, he didn't want to be overbearing and chase him away again.

His chair was pulled back, scraping against the floor loudly. He startled, looking up to come face to face with Gabriel.

His lips were caught.

He squeaked, slowly melting into the kiss, letting Gabriel take the lead, bringing up his hands to gently cup his face. His thumbs slowly stroking along the soft goatee.

"You're doing that thing again," Gabriel said against his lips, pulling away just slightly.

"What thing?" he asked, confused.

"You're overthinking." Kisses were pressed along his jaw, trailing down the side of his neck.

"It's part of my job." Jack sighed at the brush of lips, submitting to Gabriel's efforts to distract.

"I'm going to ask you a couple of questions, I want you to answer them honestly."

"I didn't know we were playing truth or dare," he joked.

His nose was lightly flicked with a snort.

"What was that for?!" Jack exclaimed, rubbing it with his hand, nose scrunched up.

"First question: are you happy Jesse's back?" Gabriel asked, hands settling on Jack's hips.

"Of course I am! I just... I don't know where I stand with him anymore."

"Are you worrying?"

"Yes. I'm always going to worry. I'm his dad."

Dark hands slid beneath his shirt.

Blue eyes watched them move. "What are you doing?"

"Distracting you."

Jack chuckled. "You better not be doing what I think you're going to do."

His boyfriend smiled at him.

"Don't you dare."

"Why not?" Gabriel hummed.

"I'll kick you in the face."

He froze and pulled back.

"Crisis averted." Jack chuckled, leaning forward to press a kiss to Gabriel's nose.

"You don't play fair, kid."

"This is war, Gabriel. There is no 'fair'."

Fingers darted across his stomach.

"No!" Jack tried his best not to laugh, jumping backwards away from the fingers that threatened him.

"Jack, wait-!"

He could feel his stomach drop as he kept going backwards, the chair he was sitting in becoming unbalanced in his vain attempts to escape the tickling.

His fall came to an abrupt end when Gabriel managed to catch the back of his chair.

His heart raced in his chest, the panic started to ebb.

"Goddamn, Jack, I didn't think you'd take falling for me so literally."

A flush rose to Jack's cheeks. "Where do you get these lines?"

His chair was set back on its feet. "I look them up in my spare time."

Jack shot him a blank look, settling back in his chair, his heart rate steadying. "Remind me why I love you?"

Gabriel's response was to push the chair back suddenly. Jack yelped, gripping the end of the table. With a laugh, his tormentor set him back down and stepped back, crossing his arms.

"Come here," Jack said, reaching his arms out toward Gabriel who stepped into reach. He wrapped his arms around Gabriel's waist, resting his chin on his stomach, looking up into his deep, brown eyes.

A hand was gently run through the soft, blond locks.

Jack hummed contentedly, closing his eyes to only focus on the sensation of his boyfriend's fingers playing with the strands of his hair. Some unruly threads were untangled, the light scratch of Gabriel's callouses a pleasant feeling against his scalp.

His partner's voice was soft and warm. "I gotta hand it to you, Jack. You don't do anything half assed."

"Wha?" A sliver of blue peered out from between light brown eyelashes.

"You're getting better, Jack."

"I am?"

He pressed a few kisses to Jack's hairline. "You're letting me in."

Jack snorted. "I don't see how I am when we're having a tickle war."

"You wouldn't have let me do this years ago," he pointed out, gently pulling Jack to his feet, hands settling on his hips and starting to sway with him. "You're trusting more, you're happier, you're getting better."

He looked to the side, a small flush raising high on his cheeks. "Things are finally looking up... I think I'm starting to allow myself to hope again."

Gabriel pulled away for a moment to reach into his pocket and pull out his phone. He turned on music and set it on the table before setting his hands back on Jack's hips and guiding him into a dance.

Another snort escaped from Jack before he placed a gentle kiss to Gabriel's lips. The brush if his goatee tickling his face slightly as he allowed himself to follow his boyfriend's movements.

"Any chance I'll get that ring back some day?" Gabriel asked softly, warmly, teasingly.

Jack hummed. "Maybe. I never implied you would never get it back."

"And you are getting better every day. I'm still willing to wait."

"I'm starting to feel happier now. And like I'm allowed to be happy." He cupped Gabriel's face with his hands, pausing their dance. Blue met warm brown. "Thank you, Gabriel, for not giving up on me."

"I'd never give up on you."

"That means more than you could know."

Gabriel's smile was soft. "Mind if I crash here tonight? We can watch something if you want."

"You practically live here anyway, Gabe," he joked.

It made his boyfriend chuckle.

"Still, thought I might as well ask."

Jack kissed him on the cheek. "You're always welcome."


	30. Chapter 30

Training with Chaudhri grueling, with long hours of intense work followed by every variation of test out there before Jesse was even allowed out on missions. So of course, when the opportunity arose for him to escape for an hour or two, he clung to it for dear life.

The base was having guests, as far as he knew, which meant that Anita was busy and he’d been granted his freedom while she was busy. He’d sought out Reinhardt at first but couldn’t find the crusader leaving him with no real purpose. He’d taken instead to wandering, but before long he was trying to find someone, anyone for company.

It didn’t take long for him to come across the familiar sight of his father, still wearing an outfit similar to what he wore as Strike-Commander but less flashy. The colours seemed more subdued and the coat more practical for field ops. He moved at a slow, yet steady pace, stopping for a moment at certain rooms, gesturing as he spoke to whomever he seemed to be giving a tour to.

He made his way over, hesitating when he saw the guest assigned to his father: a pretty girl.

Pausing in the middle of his sentence, noticing Jesse’s approach, Jack turned and gave him a smile.

He returned it, though his eyes stayed on the girl at his father’s side. She was tall, blonde, and much too similar to…

He dropped his chin to hide his eyes, lifting a hand to touch the brim of his hat. “Howdy.”

The girl smiled at him, reaching her bright blue eyes that seemed to light up. “Hello! I didn’t think they had cowboys at Overwatch.”

“I’m a one of a kind,” he replied, corner of his mouth pulling up. “Name’s McCree, what’s yours?”

“Angela Ziegler.” She giggled, carefully watching Jesse’s movements.

“‘S a right pleasure to meet you, Miss. Like it ‘round here so far?” He moved to stand beside her, smiling down at her warmly, though his eyes flicked up to meet his father’s.

Angela let out another giggle, her whole body moving with the light sound. “I like what I have seen so far, but, I have not seen much. I have only recently arrived.”

Jack had a small smile forming on his face, watching off to the side as the scene unfolded.

“What’re you studying?” Jesse asked. “Chaudhri said we had students visiting, I’m guessing you’re one of them?”

“Yes. I am studying medicine to become a doctor.”

“Have you shown her the med bay?” He looked over to his father.

“Not yet. We’re making our way there where Miss Ziegler will be able to take a longer look at the facilities,” he responded.

“Mind if I tag along?”

“Not at all. What do you say, Miss Ziegler?”

“I am happy with him tagging along,” Angela answered.

Jesse offered her an arm, smiling.

She giggled again, taking it within her hands.

He guided her past his father, briefly tilting his chin up to look up at him.

Jack looked back at him with a small smirk, a knowing look in his eyes.

His cheeks flushed.

"What will we be seeing along the way to the medbay?" Angela asked.

"There's always my room, but-" he caught himself, there were things that weren't to be shared. He didn't want certain information getting back to Chaudhri.

Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Jack shaking his head with a frown.

Angela smiled. "I appreciate the offer but that would be a bit inappropriate at the moment."

He fought back a wince. "I think you're right. Forget I said it, alright? There's some nice views, Rein's room has a great view of the city at night, it practically sparkles."

Her eyes lit up. "Really? The view from my dorm is nothing special. Just the university."

"If you're here later I'll show get him to show you, it's pretty as a postcard when the sun's just setting. If I was any good, I'd try my hand at painting it."

“Not an artist, I assume?”

"N'aw, I'm no good with a brush," he said, smiling self deprecatingly. "Gimme a gun and I can do just about anything. I'm shit with art."

"I'm not very good at it myself. Science and theories I can handle and make sense of. Art remains a mystery to me," she commented.

He shook his head, the smile unchanging. "It all goes over my head. I'm not much for brains."

"Some people are smarter with other things. Those of us who are in STEM are more rewarded for it," Angela stated, hand waving toward herself to punctuate her point.

"Same with most of the people here," he said, glancing at Jack.

"And you are probably one of them." Angela smiled softly, tucking a strand of blond hair behind her ear, looking down.

"You know," he started, trying to pull the conversation back into safer territory. "I may be shit at making art, but I can tell when I see something beautiful." He bumped his shoulder lightly against hers. "You planning on coming to work here when you're done school?"

She giggled again. "It would be ideal for me to work here. I already have several opportunities open to me, however."

He looked to his dad. "We gotta keep her."

He chuckled. "It's all up to Miss Ziegler. We do have a spot open for her."

"How can we convince you to stay?" Jesse asked her.

Angela's lips turned up into a sly little smirk. "You will just have to wait and see."

He laughed brightly.

"I hate to break up this conversation, but we do have a bit of a schedule to be on," Jack pointed out, trailing along behind them.

"Who needs schedules?" Jesse responded, waving him off, only to freeze when his name was called sharply, Chaudhri rounding a corner. He grinned nervously. "Gotta run!"

He fled, Anita yelling for him to stop.

He could faintly hear his father chuckle from behind him, making a run for anywhere that wasn't close to Chaudhri.

 

* * *

 

Jack watched as Angela Ziegler left the building, heading in the direction of her university before he went back to his room to put on something more casual. He had plans after all. After a moment or two of looking for his wallet, he finally found it, slipping it into his pocket before leaving the base altogether.

He had a careful eye on the names of the restaurants and cafés he passed on the streets, making a pleased noise to himself as soon as he found the right one. 

Entering, he spotted two familiar faces.

Michelle rose to greet him, smiling.

"Mom," Jack greeted, pulling her into a hug.

"Hello, Jack. You look happy."

"I gave a tour of our facilities today. It was nice to do something again," he said.

"Tours?" Michelle pressed curiously, smiling.

"We had a university student come in to take a tour. She seems to be very promising in the medical field."

"Oh, a medical student? That's a good profession to be looking into."

Jack shrugged. "There are always jobs there."

"There always will be. She can help a lot of people," she said, her gaze drifting away.

Jack frowned, placing a hand on his mother's shoulder. "Mom, she's seventeen. She can't do very much right now no matter how much she would want to."

She shook her head. "I know. It's just a thought." 

Raven sighed and pushed the menu toward the two of them. "Are you going to pick something?"

"I just arrived, Ma!" Jack picked up the menu, examining the contents of it before finally settling on something.

Michelle had only just decided when the waitress came to take their orders, scratching them down before returning to the kitchen. His mother leaned forward with her elbows on the table. "How is Gabriel?"

"He's good. Busy," he commented, taking a sip of water. "He doesn't get along at all with one of our other commanders."

"Oh, I remember you mentioning her last time we had lunch!"

"Yeah. They get along like cats and dogs." He pursed his lips. "And I don't doubt she wants me dead."

"What a shame... She doesn't sound very pleasant."

Jack hummed. "She just wants her job to go well."

"I know she has her hands full."

Jack chuckled, the image of her chasing Jesse down the hall earlier that day at the front of his mind. "Definitely."

"Anything else exciting happen lately?"

"Well..." Jack trailed off, taking a sip of his water to let his parents hang onto every word he had to say. "I think I now kind of know how you two felt when I started dating."

"Oh?" Michelle pressed eagerly, leaning forward with her elbows on the table. "Do tell."

"Today we had a young med student come in for a tour," he started, blue eyes sparkling.

" _Go on_ ," her voice bright. 

"Jesse started flirting with her. He's almost as bad as Gabriel."

She laughed, delighted. It even made Raven crack a smile.

"Young love is so cute," Michelle cooed. "Jesse and this girl. Does she have a name?"

"Angela Ziegler," he answered. "Did I ever do anything really stupid for love when I was a teen?"

"There was that one girlfriend you had..." Raven spoke up.

Jack dragged a hand down his face. "Oh no."

"Remember the haircut you got?" Michelle offered, grinning at him widely. 

"I don't think I've ever seen quite a... striking shade of pink since," Raven added.

Jack could feel the heat rise high on his cheeks, undoubtedly turning an alarming shade of red. "And we can't forget the piercing," Michelle teased warmly.

"Nooo," Jack groaned, head thudding against the laminate table.

Raven's hand gently settled on his back. "You'll have a chance to see Jesse be foolish, now."

"God I hope he doesn't dye his hair and get stupid piercings just to have sex with some girl." He started to gently thud his head.

His mothers laughed, and he could picture them sharing a smile.

He chewed on his bottom lip, debating on telling his parents he had kept something from that time just to get a laugh from both of them. They needed it, despite the smiles he could see the dark circles under their eyes. Raven was getting thinner and appeared as if her life was slowly being sucked out of her.

"I was thinking..." Michelle started. "I know the landlord says no cats or dogs, but they never said anything against small pets."  
Jack's eyes drifted toward Raven. "No?"

"We already have a few plants we're growing, why can't we get a hamster or a gerbil?" 

Raven stared resolutely at the table, running long fingers over the surface.

Jack picked up on the cue. "If you want something that suits plants more you could get a reptile. Make a terrarium for it."

"I wouldn't know where to start with a reptile," Raven said quietly.

Jack hummed. "They just kinda sit there really..."

“There are other kinds of pets beyond reptiles, my love,” Michelle added. “Can you think of any, Jack?”

“Rodents, frogs, fish, birds. There’s a lot of options.”

She shuddered playfully. “Please, don't get rodents.”

“Had enough of them with the barn?” he joked.

“That was not my favourite part of living there.”

“Pet rodents are different!” Jack said, thinking back on a hamster one of his childhood friends used to own.

“What about birds?”

“They can be tricky to take care of from what I know. But, if you’re willing to put the work in I’m sure they’re great companions. They can live a while too,” Jack explained, remembering one of his lonelier days when he had looked up how to take care of a parrot.

“I think a bird would be perfect,” Michelle said warmly, leaning her shoulder on Raven. “It suits our family, don't you think?”

Jack chuckled. “Is that just ‘cause of Ma’s name?”

“Maybe.”

It made Raven smile.

“I don’t think we can get a pet raven though,” he laughed, taking a sip of the water in front of him.

“No but a budgie might be cute,” Michelle replied fondly. “Or a parakeet.”

"Yeah you can train -"

The piercing sound of Jack's ringtone interrupted the rest of his sentence, startling him.  

"Morrison here," he answered.

" _Hey, Jackass,_ " Gabriel said warmly.

"Hey Gabe, what's up?"

" _I know you're out but I'm swamped with meetings today and couldn't wait. I just got off the phone with a medical facility nearby."_

"A medical facility?" Nerves started to build up, his stomach fluttering unpleasantly. "Is everything okay?"

" _Everything's fine, I have good news for you. I've been trying to arrange getting a bed there for your mother for a while._ ”

"You have?"

" _Yeah, since I helped move them out here. I've been busy or I would have been more insistent from the start._ "

"You helped them?" he exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

His mothers exchanged a glance, Michelle wincing. 

" _Your mother said she was going to tell you,"_ Gabriel said, tone dropping. _"She said she'd already talked to you and Raven about it, last I'd heard._ "

"She hasn't said anything about it." Jack glanced to Michelle, who looked like she wanted to disappear into her seat.

" _Shit... Look, Jack, she told me she'd talked to you about it._ " 

"What's going on?" Raven asked, looking between her wife and son.

"I'll talk to you later, Gabe," he said before ending the call, not bothering to wait for his boyfriend's reply. He reached out his hands, taking his mother's in his own, gently coaxing her nails from her skin.

She looked up at him, tears and fear in her eyes. "I-I had it under control... He offered to help..."

"It's just - we would've liked to know, Mom. You don't have to do this all alone. What was it you told me when I was a teen?" He looked into her eyes, the colour clearer with her tears.

She shook her head wordlessly.

"It was when I came out. I started crying, and said I felt so alone. You gave me the first plate of pie you had made and said 'even if you feel your loneliest, there are always people willing to help. You just have to ask.'" Jack stroked the back of Michelle's hand, his callouses rough against her smooth skin. "You might feel alone in this, but you just have to swallow your pride and ask for help."

She choked back a sob and nodded, keeping her gaze down. She flinched when Raven's chair slid back and her wife walked away.

Jack gave Michelle a glance, handing her some napkins before running after Raven.

He caught up to her halfway down the street. Her hands were shoved deep into the pockets of her sweater, her shoulders pulled in and her head down.

"Ma?" He reached out, hand gently touching her shoulder enough for her to know he was there, but not enough to stop her if she decided to keep going.

She trembled faintly beneath his touch. "I want to go home, John."

Jack looked at her, knowing exactly what she meant by 'home'. "Ma..."

"I never liked cities, places like this are where Michelle thrives, but I've never been comfortable anywhere but on a farm. I know she did this thinking it would somehow be good for me, but... this is going to be what kills me. I'm suffocating here. She never _asked_ what I wanted to do with the farm..." She rubbed a hand over her face, wiping away the tears that had fallen. "I'm sorry, John..." 

Jack could feel his heart breaking watching the tears fall from Raven's face. She was always the strong one, it was painful to see her fall apart like this. "I'm so sorry, Ma. Just - just try to hold out until you finish your treatment. Then I can see what I can do. I'm sure it can be something." He pulled her into a hug, chin resting in her salt and pepper hair.

"I'm trying... I'm so sorry..." She held onto him.

"You don't need to apologise, Ma. You didn't ask to get sick."

"I was supposed to take care of you and Chell, not the other way around..."

Jack pulled away, giving her a weak smile. "You don't want me to give you the same speech I gave, Mom, do you?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "No. I'm just not used to asking for help."

"So that's where I get it from," he joked, smiling at the laugh he got from her.

"There's no denying you took after me. I'm proud of you, Jack." She ruffled his hair.

He chuckled. "You'll make it, Ma. You're one of the strongest people I know."

"I'm glad you think so. That's a high compliment."

"Why wouldn't I think so?"

She smiled at him fondly. "We should go back."

"Mom will be scared we abandoned her."

She offered him her arm.

He took it, shooting her a smile.

"Chell's started writing," Raven said, guiding him back toward the restaurant. "Little short stories, they're quite good."

"What's she been writing about?" Jack asked.

"You, though she'd never admit it."

Jack let out a shocked laugh. "Really?"

She smiled at him. "Stories of a great hero away at war. Or a boy who grew up on a farm and dreamt of greater things."

He chuckled. "Is she going to collect them all and publish them?"

"Knowing her, no, but that's not a bad idea."

"And what have you been up to, Ma?"

"Not very much. I've tried reading, done some painting." She shrugged. "Nothing significant."

"Maybe you just haven't found the right thing yet."

"Michelle set up a small garden for me that I'm enjoying. We're growing herbs."

"See, that's something!" Jack smiled. "Maybe you can try cooking really fancy stuff."

"I can bring you some herbs next time I see you, if you'd like some. Michelle's enjoying having them."

"I'd love that, Ma." Jack opened the door to the diner for her.

She stepped in, going straight back to Michelle's side.

Jack smiled when he saw them together. Hopefully not everything was lost between them.


	31. Chapter 31

The tray shook in Jack's hands, carefully balancing the hearty sandwich and large cup of coffee on it. The prospect of having a conversation with Gabriel he knew he couldn’t avoid wasn’t doing anything for his nerves.

He was waiting there awhile before his boyfriend rounded the corner with a cell phone wedged between his ear and shoulder and a datapad in his hand, his fingers flying over the screen.   


He smiled as soon as Gabriel looked up to open the office door.   


Everything about his boyfriend seemed to soften at the sight of him. "Hey, Jack. Sorry about your lunch."   


Jack shrugged. "It's not the worst lunch I've had."   


He was let into the office and Gabriel hung up his call and set aside the tablet to gently take the tray from him.   


"So," Jack started, pulling up a seat in front of Gabriel's desk.   


"So?"   


"Why didn't you tell me?" Jack jumped right into the meat of it.   


His boyfriend winced, leaning back in his chair, nails tapping on his knee. "Your mother said she'd already talked to you. I didn't think she might've lied."

Jack sighed. "Didn't think to ask me? Just to make sure?"   


Dark eyes slid closed, voice resigned. "No. I got busy, Jack, I'm sorry. She told me she had it under control, I shouldn't have listened. And then we got the kid back and I've been  busy dealing with the psycho bitch the UN put in Blackwatch. I should've known."

Jack chuckled. "Psycho bitch," he repeated, pausing for a moment before continuing. "I get it Gabe, being Strike-Commander is definitely busy business. I... just would have liked to know, as well as Ma."   


"I thought you  _ knew _ ... That's the only reason I..." he groaned, running a hand over his face. "I'm trying my best, sunshine, not to leave you out of the loop. I meant to bring it up, I'm not trying to keep shit from you. Alright? That's not at all what I mean to do."   


Jack nodded, moving to stand beside Gabriel. "You're stressed, I get it." He examined the chair a moment before plopping on Gabriel's lap. "Maybe I can help you get through this pile."   


His boyfriend laughed, wrapping his arms around his waist. "What'd I ever do to deserve you?"   


Jack shrugged. "Put up with all my bullshit."   


Gabriel snorted against his shoulder, pulling him closer.

"I'm not wrong."   


"I love you an' your bullshit. Makes you special."   


Jack laughed, shoulders shaking. "That's definitely one way to put it."   


"It's all worth it, to have you by my side," he said softly, smiling to himself.   


"Sap." Jack leaned back, head resting beside Gabriel's on the tall back of the chair. He pressed his lips to his boyfriend's temple.   


"Mm..." The darker man sighed quietly, smile slowly slipping away. "What I wouldn't give to just... get away, you, me, 'n Jesse, somewhere where we could be anything but  soldiers."

Jack chuckled. "That would be fantastic. There's always Ma's f-" he cut himself off, heart dropping. "We don't have the farm anymore."   


Gabriel didn't respond, he simply reached around him for his desk drawer and pulled out a slip of paper he put in Jack's hand.   


"What's this?"   


"Name and contact information of the guy we sold it to."   


"My uncle?  _ That _ asshole?" Jack frowned at the paper as if it had personally insulted him.   


"Wait, that's your uncle?" his boyfriend leaned to get a better look at the sheet.   


"Yep. Haven't really had the pleasure to meet him, though."   


He laughed. "I have."   


"Oh  _ god _ how did that go?"   


"Tell me first, who's brother's he?"   


"Ma's. Mom's an only child," he answered.   


Gabriel broke into peals of laughter. " _ Bullshit. _ "   


"It's not!"   


"They look an' act  _ nothing alike _ !"   


"It happens!" Jack paused. "What is he like? He was never... fond of the idea of me."   


"Some big shot that acts like his own shit don't stink, looks nothing like your mother." He shrugged. "He didn't seem too pleased about the arrangement but I didn't stick  around, your mom wanted to talk to him after he'd signed the paperwork. Looked kinda heavy, whatever they were talking about. I picked her up an hour or two later to drive her back and it looked like she'd been crying."   


Jack hummed. "Is his phone number anywhere here?"   


He pointed it out, offering the phone off his desk.   


"Thank you." He wasted no time punching the number in.   


His uncle didn't answer the first attempt. Or the second.

"Stupid asshat knows what's coming so he won't pick up."   


Gabriel chuckled. "You really hate this guy's guts, don't you? What'd he do to you?"

"He never wanted to have anything to do with his sister's "weird family"."   


"You think it's because of you? Or because your mother married another woman?" Gabriel asked, tipping the chair back slightly.   


"Both. Definitely both." Jack's upper lip turned up into a sneer.   


The phone started to ring.

Jack picked it up almost immediately. "Captain Morrison," he said, voice flat.

" _ John, isn't it? Jonathan Morrison _ ?" The voice was thin, strained by what sounded like years of smoking. He almost sounded amused.   


"Yes. That's me."   


_ "Haven't spoken to you in years. To what do I owe the pleasure?” _ _   
_

"I want to buy the farm back."   


_ "That's a lucrative little piece of property if handled well,” his uncle hummed. “Your family sold it. _ "   


"And now I want it back." Jack picked up a nearby pen to fiddle with.   


_ "How's your mother?" _   


"She's fine. Losing weight, but that's normal. You could call her and ask her yourself."   


The man scoffed.  _ ”She wouldn't appreciate that. Did she change her mind about the farm, and send you to call me instead?" _   


"Ma had no say in whether or not the farm was to be sold. I'm calling of my own volition. I'd rather not speak to you either. And I don't see how it would matter much to you if we got it back. You don't even give a shit about it."   


The man laughed to himself bitterly.  _ "No, I don't, do I? That's why I've had men out there working the fields and tending to the animals every day since I purchased the farm off Michelle. Because I don't give a shit. You want it back? Come sign for it." _ _   
_

"I will."   


" _ Raven's got my address, as does Michelle and that black fellow I forget the name of that she brought with her. Ask one of them for it. Do bring my sister along, will you? It's been years since I've seen her. _ "   


"His name is Gabriel," Jack responded, a heavy frown on his face. "I'll see what I can do."   


His uncle hung up.   


Jack slammed the phone back down on the receiver. "That goddamn asshole. He's just in it for money."   


"I could've told you that," Gabriel said. He pushed his chair back away from the desk, settling his hands on Jack's waist.   


"He didn't even bother to remember your name."   


"After this I don't expect to ever see him again, I don't care. Come on, Jack, calm down." He kissed the side of his boyfriend's neck.   


Jack huffed. "Easier said than done."   


"Trust me, I know. Have I thanked you yet for bringing me food?"   


"I don't think you have."   


Gabriel leaned forward to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth, and he turned his head to catch his lips.

All too soon he gave his boyfriend control when Gabriel tapped his hips to get him to stand . His back met the wall, and dark hands were trailing down his sides eagerly as he sought Gabriel’s lips.

It was only when there was a knock at the door that they pulled apart.   


Jack sighed unhappily. "You better get that."   


After pressing a light kiss to his forehead, Gabriel stepped away and called out that it was open.    


Jack’s son stepped in.   


"Jesse!" he exclaimed. "Is everything okay?"   


"I need to talk to you about something," Jesse replied, moving to the desk.   


"What is it?" Jack sat back on the chair, eyes following Gabriel as he reached past him for the tray and took a seat on the edge of the desk while Jesse fidgeted.   


"You realize Blackwatch hates you, right?" the boy asked, looking to Gabriel who shrugged.    


"I'm not here to make friends."   


Jack looked at Gabriel out of the corner of his eyes. "But you don't want to make enemies either, Gabriel."   


"You know me, Jack, I'm Mr. Popularity,” his boyfriend said sarcastically.   


"We don't want you getting assassinated though," he commented. Turning to Jesse he asked, "What have they been saying?"   


"That they want someone to do exactly that. They don't like you're in charge, they think Chaudhri's a better fit. No one's ever happy, are they? Some things never change..."   


Jack laughed bitterly. "Nope. That would make things too easy."   


"You better watch your back, Gabe, especially if you're ever out with Blackwatch," the cowboy warned.    


The Strike Commander sighed, taking a bite of the sandwich.   


"If you need someone else to watch your back if you go out with Blackwatch, Gabriel, you have both Jesse and I."   


"I'll be fine," he said tiredly. "I'll keep an eye out."   


"You don't have eyes at the back of your head."   


"I've got good people working under me I can rely on,” he countered, irritation beginning to bleed into his voice.   


Jack is examined him with a careful eye. "Fine,” he relented.   


"I've got you, don't I? I'll be careful. Anything else, Jesse?"    


"Not really, no. Just wanted to tell you people want you dead."   


"The best part of the Strike-Commander job,” Jack commented offhandedly.   


"We kept you safe, didn't we?" Gabriel pointed out.   


"Yes. But I had a reliable commander of Blackwatch to do it."   


"Try not to worry,  _ cariño. _ "   


Jack looked at Gabriel,unimpressed. "Worry is my middle name."   


He snorted. "You got that right. You worry about me, I'll worry about the shit Blackwatch gets up to. Deal?"   


"Fine," Jack sighed, resigned.   


Jesse backed toward the door. "I should go, I've got training in twenty minutes with Chaudhri."   


"Good luck, Jesse."   


When the door shut behind the teen, Gabriel turned the chair to face him, setting his hands on Jack's shoulders. "There's always risk when it comes to what we do. I'm not aiming to get myself killed, not when I finally have you. Call me a sap all you want, you're everything to me. There's no way in hell I'm giving that up by doing something stupid  to get me or you hurt."

Jack still frowned. "I don't want you to be taken from me either. I don't want to lose you to something that could be prevented."   


"And you won't. If they make a move to try and hurt me, we'll know." He pulled him to his feet, wrapping his arms around his waist. He smiled at Jack. "But I know you worry, that's just you. What can I do to help?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. Take every precaution necessary I guess."

"I am. I have been since Chaudhri got here. I promise."

"Alright."

Gabriel gently brushed his hair out of his eyes, calloused fingers running over the soft skin of Jack's cheek.

Jack sighed, closing his eyes to relish the sensation more.

"Why don't you go do something to try an' relax for a few hours? I'll join you as soon as I get the rest of this paperwork done."

"It's seems like all I've been doing lately is relaxing," he joked weakly.

"You want something to work on?"

"I'm going stir crazy, Gabe. Please."

The Strike-Commander paused to think, reaching for the tablet and working with it for a moment before turning it towards him. 

"We've got a few new recruits you could train, they've got a mission coming up. You can go with them."

"I can go back on active duty again?" Hope filled his voice.

Gabriel's expression softened. "I'll give you permission. I don't think you'll be running headfirst into enemy fire now that Jesse's back. Besides, I need you to watch my back.”

Jack gave him a small smile. "You know me too well."

"You've just got to promise me that you'll be careful."

Jack smirked. "That would be hypocritical of me if I didn't."

There was a glint in Gabriel's eyes, and it was all the warning he got before the other man had an arm around his waist and was dipping him.

Jack yelped, not expecting the action, grasping onto Gabriel's arms as if they were a lifeline. "What's that for?"

Gabe laughed at him warmly. "Why not?"

"Give me a heart attack why don't ya!"

"Are you mad at me?" He helped him stand back up, smiling.

"Not anymore. I can't stay mad at you long."

He chuckled and caught Jack's lips.

"Is this where we left off before Jesse interrupted?"

"It was," he hummed, kissing him again. It was safe to say Gabriel didn't get very much work done.

 

* * *

 

Something woke him up abruptly, something broke the silence that filled the empty space of the room. He stirred from his place wrapped in Gabe’s arms, baby blues opening and searching. He exhaled against Gabe’s hair, the fine hairs shifting with the light wind.

He heard the door to his quarters slide open and quiet footsteps as someone entered his home. He immediately reached for the sidearm he kept on his bedside table when it wasn't in use or strapped to a holster on his leg, creeping out to investigate after grabbing a bathrobe and shrugging it on.

Light spilled in from the hallway as the intruder shut it, briefly illuminating the side of a face. Jesse's face.

"Jesse?" Jack put the gun down on a nearby table.

His son jumped and scrambled back, hitting his back against the closed door. "Goddamn, you scared me-!"

Jack chuckled. "How long have I been a soldier for, Jesse? I wake up on a hair trigger."

The teen laughed, the sound too high and too strained. "Yeah, I forgot about that."

Jack moved toward him. "Are you okay?"

His shoulders curled in slightly. "Yeah. Didn't mean to wake you, Dad, sorry..:"

"You don't look okay." Jack hovered around him, not wanting to get too close to make him uncomfortable or to spook him. He could see the shine of tears on the boy's cheeks.

"Just... had a rough night's all. We all get 'em, right?"

Jack nodded. He had hoped Jesse wouldn't get them at all, but with the path he chose, it was inevitable. "Come here."

His son didn't hesitate. He pulled Jesse into a hug, holding him tightly, chin resting on the head of unruly hair. He could feel his thin frame trembling.

"I dreamt you'd died... I couldn't find you, I couldn't find anyone... There was so much blood everywhere, I kept slipping in it. And pain. It felt too real."

Jack sighed into the hair, gently stroking it with his other hand. "I'm here, Jesse. I'm here and alive."

"I don't want to lose you..."

"You won't, not if I can help it," Jack whispered. Jesse's grip on him tightened. 

The door to his room slid open, soft lamplight filling the room. Jesse shied away from it.

"It's okay, Jesse. It's just Gabe."

"Hey,  _ mijo _ ," Gabriel said softly, reaching to ruffle the boy's hair. 

Jesse stepped back out of his father's arms, rubbing away the tears. "I woke both of you up, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, we have the rest of the night to sleep," Jack said, pulling away from Jesse briefly to press a kiss to Gabriel's cheek.

"How... how're you two doing? I... hadn't asked, didn't know how. You two're good?" Jesse asked slowly, shifting and crossing his arms against his chest like a barrier, looking to the blanket tied loosely around Gabriel’s waist then down at the ground.

"We're good," was all Jack said. Normally the answer wouldn't be much, but with the looks that Gabriel and Jack were giving to each other it was answer enough.

"You look happier, Dad."

"Do I? I guess it's something I don't really notice."

"I told you you're doing better," Gabriel said, nudging his shoulder.

"Didn't I tell you it's hard for me to see?" Jack retorted.

"It's just more proof that I'm right." 

Jesse backed away from them, reaching for the door.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked.

He winced. "Back to my quarters...?"

"I..." he trailed off. "Your room is still set up."

"It is? I thought you would've emptied it, I was gone for a couple years."

Jack laughed bitterly. "I guess I take after my parents in that sense too."

Jesse looked down, shifting his weight. "If you have room for me, I guess I might as well stay..."

"I'll always have room for you, Jesse."

He smiled at the ground before going into the room from his childhood, leaving Jack alone with his boyfriend.

"I never thought this would happen..."

Gabriel wrapped his arms around him. "But it has. He's back."

"All of us together... Like a family."

"Trust me, I never saw this in my future either. Come on, we should get back to bed.”

Jack nodded, taking Gabriel's hand in his own, pressing a sleepy kiss to it. He was herded back to the bedroom, Gabriel shutting the light off once they were tucked back into bed.

"Love you, Gabriel," Jack whispered, kissing him gently.

"I love you too,  _ cariño _ ."


	32. Chapter 32

The return to active duty was faster than he expected. Within days an active emergency was bringing Overwatch and Blackwatch alike back to the field. He was put in charge of a squadron of soldiers under Gabriel, delivering orders for a concentrated attack on a group of radicals trying to respark the crisis.

It was odd to be back with soldiers working under him. But leading troops was like riding a bike, despite his time away from the field he got back into it with ease. His subordinates seemed to have a similar sentiment, one of them clapping him on the shoulder and giving him a cheeky salute.

They moved out as soon as they touched down, quickly getting into formation.

"Tijmes, Saunders, keep an eye out for any ambushes," Jack commanded, making sure his clip was full.

He could hear Anita giving her own people orders as Gabriel moved to his side, listening to chatter over the comm as Blackwatch started their sweep.

"Remember, watch your six, Gabe."

"That's what I've got you for," he joked, lifting his guns and starting to move.

"That's true," he said, knowing it wouldn't reach Gabriel's ears, the man already off with his own team.

The firefight started before long, Blackwatch engaging first before Overwatch joined their ranks, the enemy using massive pieces of machinery as cover.

Jack swore under his breath, ducking behind an abandoned car for cover. "We need to get them to drop their cover!"

_ "Anita, take a team and flank them," _ Gabriel ordered, across from Jack and trying to find a better way around. 

_ "Acknowledged." _

Out of the corner of his eye he watched Gabriel twist around, gloved hand going to his com and growling into it before glancing over his shoulder to tell Jack he was in change before taking off away from the group.

Jack swore under his breath. He ordered his team to keep an eye out on the ones who were on the front lines, providing any back up fire if needed.

He lost sight of Gabriel, and was forced to focus on moving his men when one of the enemies hollered for them to catch and a grenade was thrown between them.

Panic gripped him, he grasped the shoulder of one of the soldiers beside him, tugging her to cover with him. They made it just in time, distantly he could hear the grenade explode, shouts following it.

Another explosion rocked the compound, bits of ceiling raining down around them.

"Fuck!" Jack swore. A large chunk of ceiling narrowly missed his head.

_ "Fall back, we can regroup,"  _ Anita ordered.

"Acknowledged," Jack responded before ordering his troops to do the same.

There was radio silence from Gabriel as the soldiers started to fall back. Jack tried not to let it bother him. He had a duty to his own soldiers first, to make sure they were safe. He would have time later to worry about it.

They'd gotten out, building burning behind him, when Gabriel finally got back in touch. 

_ "I need a medical evac, a soldier is down." _

"Crap. I'll see what I can do," Jack responded, changing the frequency to the transport. "We need a medical evac for Commander Reyes' location!"

_ "Acknowledged." _

"Hang tight, Reyes," Jack said, taking a headcount of his soldiers.

Each of his were accounted for.

_ "It's not me that's injured,"  _ Gabriel said, voice strained. _ "Not bad at least." _

"And you shout at me for rushing in," Jack muttered, relief washing over him as soon as all his soldiers were accounted for.

“ _ I had to.” _

"There better be a good reason for this."

Gabriel disconnected, staying out of contact until he has been retrieved and the group was back together.

As soon as Jack knew Gabriel was back behind their lines with medics, he immediately went to check up on him, heart beating at a frantic pace. "Gabriel what -" The sight in front of him made him pause.

He found Gabriel squeezing the hand of his son who was gasping weakly, blood leaking from his mouth and seeping from a spot in his chest.

"J-Jesse!" Jack ran to his side immediately.

Gabriel stood, his free hand pressed to his shoulder where shrapnel was protruding from the skin. "Jack.”

"What happened?" he asked Gabriel, brushing the unruly brown hair falling in Jesse's eyes away, tucking it gently behind his son's ears.

Jesse's eyes were hazy as he wheezed.

"We got caught by a grenade," Gabriel answered. "He was ahead of me."

Jack's mind went completely blank, all thoughts that had been there melting away. Blue eyes stared blankly at the red soaking Jesse's clothing, not wanting to connect the possible outcomes to his brain.

Gabriel took his hand. “He’ll live.” 

"He'll live, but at what cost? How many more injuries is he going to have? How many more nightmares?" He blinked, his eyes wet. "He's only a kid..."

Jesse's nails scraped over the back of his hand.

He grasped it tightly. It felt like something was squeezing his heart.

"You'll go with him, Jack, I'll stay with the others," Gabriel said, moving away.

He nodded, not looking away from his son.

Gabriel left them alone. 

Jack sat there, holding tightly onto Jesse while he waited for the medics to deal with his wounds. He stroked Jesse's hair, occasionally wiping away any sweat that would slowly drip from his forehead, as well as washing away the blood that dripped slowly from his lips.

They were taken immediately back to base, where Jesse was rushed into surgery, and Jack had long since lost track of his boyfriend.

He didn't bother to go and check. His mind too occupied on Jesse's condition to get anything done. He sat in the waiting room, mind wandering to every possible conclusion. 

What if Jesse died? What if he lost too much blood and would lose his limbs? What if he became paralysed? What is he became brain dead? Each question made itself known in Jack's brain, despite most of them being far fetched enough that Jack recognised them as being a bit stupid.

A slender hand settled on his shoulder. 

Startled, Jack jerked. 

"It's alright," Ana soothed, sitting beside him. "It's just me."

Jack turned slightly, resting his head against her shoulder. He didn't have the energy to converse.

She pressed a warm cup into his hands.

Sweet, warm chocolate filled his senses as he took a sip, the warmth exuding from the cup a calming presence as well as the rich scent that filled his nostrils.

"Something told me you might need it," she told him in a whisper, running her fingers through his hair.

“Yeah?” Jack’s voice was weak. 

"I ran into Chaudhri. I know you're worried about Jesse."

"How could I not be?" He coughed, his throat dry. He took a long sip of the hot chocolate, the sweetness doing nothing to quench his thirst but it helped with calming him.

“Do you need some water?” 

“Please.” 

She got up, touching his shoulder briefly before heading down the hall.

He waited patiently, not being any stranger to the concept with how long he was waiting for Jesse to get out of surgery. Occasionally he would take a sip of the hot chocolate.

Ana returned just as the door to the infirmary opened, and Gabriel stepped out.

Jack's gaze shifted between them both.

Gabriel's arm was bound in a sling that he picked at before sighing. "I tracked down Jesse's doctor. He's out of surgery. They'll be out to get you in a few minutes."

He nodded. reaching for Gabriel's free hand to pull him closer.

His boyfriend pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. 

"This is the worse feeling..." he muttered into Gabriel's shoulder.

"Yeah, I know. He's breathing, though, Jack. We could be burying him."

"I know," Jack whispered. "It still doesn't make it easier knowing I couldn't protect him."

“I tried. I couldn’t get to him in time.” 

“You don’t need to risk yourself either, Gabe.” 

"If I hadn't he'd be dead," he pointed out gently. "He just takes after you."

A sad laugh escaped from Jack. "Not the thing I want him to get from me though."

“He’ll learn.” 

"If he takes after me on this would he really learn?"

“He might, you never know.” 

Jack pulled away from the embrace to shoot Gabriel a disbelieving look. "I doubt it."

His boyfriend sighed and shook his head. "I need to at least sit down until the painkillers kick in."

Jack nodded, helping him to one of the waiting room's seats.

“Jack,” Ana called, handing him the bottle of water he asked for. 

"Thank you." He gave Ana a worried smile before opening the bottle, gulping down most of its contents.

The door opened, and one of the top doctors they had at the facility stepped out, clearing his throat. "Captain Morrison, Commander Reyes."

Gabriel motioned for Jack to go ahead, leaning forward to rest his head in his unrestrained hand.

He briefly placed a hand on Gabriel's uninjured shoulder before approaching the doctor, trying his hardest not to push the man aside so he could see his son.

"Reyes asked me to report how McCree's surgery went straight to you," the doctor said, a knowing look in his eyes. After all, he'd been working for Overwatch for years. "He's pulled through and should be waking up shortly."

Relief washed over Jack, he released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Can I see him?"

“Of course.” He stepped aside. 

Jack shot him a small smile before entering, moving immediately to Jesse's side. Seeing his chest wrapped up in bandages, skin pale, hurt. He grasped the hand that was free from the IV.

"D-Dad?" Jesse croaked, eyes cracking open.

"Jesse!" He squeezed his son's hand reassuringly. "Never do that again!"

The corner of Jesse's mouth raised. "No promises..."

Jack huffed. "You better make that a promise. If you die I'll bring you back to life to ground you for the rest of your life."

"It'd be an excuse to spend time with you."

Jack rolled his eyes, "And since when do you want to spend all your time with me?"

“Since I was brought back here?” 

Jack shot him a disbelieving look. "Just... don't be as reckless."

"Were you hurt?" Jesse asked, free hand resting on the bandages that wound around his own chest.

“No, I’m fine. Gabe on the other hand…” 

Jesse tried to push himself up, eyes widening. "Is he...?"

"He got shrapnel in his shoulder. He's also the reason you're still alive."

“Where is he?”

Jack glanced toward the door. "The waiting room."

"I want to thank him, make sure he's okay..."

Jack nodded, giving Jesse's hand another squeeze before leaving the room. Once he caught sight of Gabriel resting in the chair he went over to him with a smile, taking his uninjured hand to pull him up to him.

It made him groan a little. "What is it, Jack?"

“Someone wants to thank you.” 

He smiled, following Jack. 

He led him back to Jesse's room, opening the door.

"Gabe!"

Gabriel smiled, going over to ruffle the boy's hair. "Look who's awake."

"Dad said you hurt your shoulder."

"It'll heal," he said, smiling. "Just like your lung."

Jesse winced. "I didn't mean to get either of us hurt."

Jack moved beside Gabriel, resting his hand against his upper back. "You should both be glad you're not dead. You wouldn't want me to hunt down your ghosts, now would you?"

"If I died I'd sure as hell haunt your ass," Gabriel teased, leaning against him. 

Jack laughed giving Gabriel a kiss. "That's not the worse thing to be haunted by." 

"You guys are so mushy," Jesse said, sticking his tongue out before giving a look of disgust.

"This is what adults become, Jesse. This is what you have to look forward to." Jack laughed.

His son's expression softened. "It's nice seein' y'all happy."

“It’s… nice to be happy.” 

“You deserve it, Dad.” 

“Thank you." Jack's voice was quiet. Despite everything, he did appreciate the sentiment.

Jesse settled back on his bed, hand pressed to his chest, his breathing a little off. But he smiled up at his dad brightly, eyes alight.

Jack returned the smile, heart aching knowing how much pain his son must be in. But he was happy that Jesse was smiling and still alive.

Gabriel cleared his throat. "I better get going, I've got reports to fill."

Jack shot Gabriel a concerned look. Opening his mouth to speak but thinking better of it. He shuffled on his feet for a moment before finally saying, "Don't... work too hard Gabe. Take it easy, okay?"

"I'll work for a couple hours then take a break, see how I'm doing alright? Take care, Jack, and rest up Jesse." Gabriel left them alone.

Jack nodded, reluctant to let the man go but knowing he couldn’t stop him either.

"You don't have to stay," Jesse said softly after Gabriel was gone.

"I don't want to leave you alone either..."

“I’m okay.” 

“Are you sure?” he asked. 

He nodded. "I can get help if I'm not."

"Are you sure you won't get too lonely?"

"I'm going to sleep, Dad, I'm tired. I don't need company for that," he said playfully.

Jack nodded slowly, a small frown on his face. "Alright. Just... message me if you need anything, okay?"

“I will, I promise.” 

Satisfied, Jack gave Jesse his goodnights, a hug, and left the room, not before checking to make sure the glass and pitcher that rested on his son's bedside table were sufficiently full. He nodded to himself as soon as he left the room, his next course of action finding his boyfriend.

He went straight to Gabriel's office and opened the door, unsurprised to see him hard at work as he said he'd be on paperwork. Gabriel didn't look up.

“Gabriel,” Jack sighed, entering the room. 

"I thought you were staying with Jesse," he replied, signing off on a report and starting the next.

"He didn't need me there anymore," he answered with a shrug. "There's someone else who needs me more right now." Jack moved forward slowly, shooting Gabriel a hesitant smile. It didn't escape his notice how withdrawn Gabriel had been since he had received his injury.

The pen Gabriel had been using was set aside as the man leaned back in his chair.

Jack finished his trek to Gabriel's desk, leaning forward to gently grasp his chin.

He leaned into the touch, dark eyes starting to drift shut.

Jack smiled gently, his eyes softening as he took in Gabriel's features. His sharp cheekbones, the beautiful colour of his skin, the dark eyes that he could get lost in. He loved everything about the man.

His lips pressed gently against Gabriel's own, the goatee tickling Jack's lips.

Fingers tangled in blond hair, and the gentle tugs of the strands sent a pleasurable jolt down Jack's spine. He moaned into the kiss, before parting to press them against Gabriel's neck.

"Jack," he sighed softly.

"Hmm?" Jack nibbled gently at the soft skin.

The hand moved from his hair to his back.

Jack sighed, returning to Gabriel's lips.

He was pushed away gently.

Jack made a confused noise, but allowed himself to be moved. His lips were turned downwards, concerned. "Gabriel?"

"You sure you don't need to be with Jesse?" he asked, voice a murmur and eyes on the ground. He reached up to hold his injured shoulder, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Jack moved to Gabriel's side, carefully sitting on his lap, making sure that he wasn't causing any pain to the man. "Jesse's sleeping, I told him to message me if I'm needed, but other than that, he's alright. He has doctor's on call."

Gabriel rested his head against Jack's shoulder. "Yeah, you told me that, didn't you."

"Yeah, I did," Jack whispered, cupping Gabriel's face in his hands. "Is everything okay?"

There was a shaky sigh. "I don't know, sunshine..."

Jack pressed his forehead against Gabriel's, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "If there's anything you need to talk about, or say, I'm here. You were here for me, it would be stupid of me to not."

Dark eyes filled with tears. "Yeah, I know."

Jack's thumbs brushed against the drops threatening to spill from them. "Just... let me know, okay?"

"I love you, sunshine."

"I love you too, Gabriel. More than you'll ever know."

Gabriel laughed warmly, tears spilling down his cheeks. "And you call me sappy."

Jack chuckled, wiping the tears from his boyfriend's face. "Hey, at least you can't make syrup from me."

It made Gabriel laugh more, leaning into him.

"You don't have to carry the world on your shoulders. Trust me."

"I've just got a lot on my mind..." he wiped at his face tiredly. "I've been talking to my sister."

"Your sister?" he asked, confused.

"I told you about her years ago, the ambitious one that wanted to get into medicine?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I recall. But... you don't talk to her at all. Or... I thought you didn't."

He shook his head. "I don't. It's been less than a year since we started talking."

"Why'd you start?"

"She works at the treatment centre I got your mom into." He closed his eyes, unable to look at Jack. "I asked her to get Raven in for me."

Jack pulled Gabriel's head to his chest, stroking against the close cropped hair. "If... if it really made you that uncomfortable, you didn't have to do it. There are other facilities  just as good. I... don't want you doing anything you're going to regret."

"I want the best for you, and she's... one of the best. Always has been."

Jack nudged Gabriel's chin, making him look up at him. "Hey, you're not too bad yourself."

The smile it earned was faint and mildly disbelieving.

Jack patted him on the cheek. "None of that."

"What'd I ever do to deserve you? You're a fucking angel," he said softly, pressing a light kiss to Jack's lips.

Jack chuckled. "You stuck by my side, Gabriel. That's what you did."

"Why would I ever leave? You're the only one that's ever cared."

Jack sighed sadly, pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips. He wanted to argue against the statement, but, selfishly, he didn't want any other demons hiding in Gabriel's mind to make themselves known. Not yet.

Gabriel pushed the chair back from the desk. "Want to go back to your quarters? I'm not getting anything else done today."

Jack nodded. "Alright. It's been a long day, we both need some rest."

He untangled himself from Gabriel then helped him up. They walked back to his quarters together, Gabriel's arm a warm, solid weight around his waist.

He wrapped his arm around Gabriel's shoulder, nudging his head forward to to press a soft kiss to his nose. He was chuckled at softly as Gabriel opened the door and herded him inside, shutting it behind them.   


Jack smiled, hands drifting to the knot of the sling fingers tugging at it. He paused, smile melting into a frown.

"Stuck?" Gabriel asked with amusement, stepping away and taking a seat on the couch and beckoning for Jack to follow.

"Let's try this again," Jack said, taking a closer look at the knot before making a second attempt at loosening it.

It took a bit of tugging to get it loose enough to undo.

"Holy shit, what the hell?" Jack laughed, finally pulling the knot loose.

"I... mighta pissed them off," Gabriel admitted with a grin.

"I thought that was my job, Gabe, not yours."

"They told me to take it easy with my arm and I told them I'd be back to training first thing tomorrow morning. So they tied it tight enough to almost cut off the circulation. I gotta keep wearing a sling for a week or two."

Jack stared at him. "You're not going back to working out tomorrow morning."

He winced. "Didn't think that'd go over too well with you."

"I'd tie you to a chair before you could do that."

"That almost sounds like fun," he hummed, taking Jack's hand to kiss the back of it.

"Does it, now?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

He just smiled, pulling him into a kiss.

Jack smiled, melting into it, lips moving slowly against Gabriel's, taking his time.

They kissed lazily for a while before Gabriel brought him to the bedroom to get them changed for bed.

Jack smiled, getting quickly changed into a new pair of boxer briefs and stretching out on the bed.

Gabriel settled beside him after very carefully stripping down, laying with his head tucked under Jack's chin.

Jack wrapped his arms around Gabriel, pulling him close.

"Thank you for staying with me, sunshine," he said, already beginning to sound drowsy.

"It's the least I could do."

He hummed tiredly, eyes closing. "Will you still be here in the morning?"

Jack nodded. "Of course, Gabriel. Of course."

His boyfriend was asleep before he'd even finished talking.

Jack stared ahead into the darkness, hand in the short, dark strands as he listened to Gabriel's steady breathing. He didn't know what was happening with Gabriel, what was going through his head. But what Jack did know was that he was going to try his best to stay by Gabriel's side.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops we got too enraptured by writing and forgot to post


	33. Chapter 33

He wasn't sure which was worse: being pulled from the field or being subjected to miles and miles of nothing but boring ass corn.

Jack had turned on the radio to some modern station, the music very electronic and upbeat as they drove.

"I need to bring you back to Los Angeles sometime, make up for the number of times I've ended up in Indiana with you," he said, distracted by the way the wind ruffled Jack's blond hair.

Jack laughed. "I'd like that. Maybe I'd finally get to meet your family, huh?" He turned briefly to smile at Gabriel before returning his gaze to the road.

"I don't know how many of them are still there, but I guess you could," he said with a shrug that he regretted instantly. He rubbed at his shoulder uncomfortably.

"No rush though." Jack hummed.

He leaned his head back, reaching across himself to take his boyfriend's hand. Jack took it, threading his fingers in Gabriel's own.

"We should've brought Jesse with us."

"He's busy with Blackwatch. He can't afford to take a break to join us."

"I'm just sure he misses it." He turned his head to look out the window but closed his eyes a moment later, stomach twisting.

"Yeah. He does miss it. I don't want him fighting my uncle for it back though," Jack commented.

He laughed. "Your uncle'd have a couple of broken bones if we let Jesse meet him."

"We want to have the least collateral damage possible."

He snorted. "It sounds like you're planning a mission."

"This might as well be one," Jack said, voice serious. "We're taking back the farm."

He chuckled softly.

Jack glanced over to Gabriel before swiftly moving back to the long, empty road in front of them.

"I swear I can feel every bump in the road," Gabriel said conversationally, bouncing a knee in time with the music, a smile on his lips.

"The joys of the country. Where the tax dollars should be going to fixing the road, they go who knows where."

"They go to building super soldiers."

"Hey now that hasn't happened in a while."

"Not that we know of, at least. But I sure as hell hope they stopped at us."

"Me too." Jack’s voice was dark.

He squeezed his hand to pull him out of those thoughts. "We survived it."

Jack nodded. "Just barely..."

"Hey," he said and leaned forward to catch his eye, worry bleeding into his voice. "I'm right here and I'm fine. It didn't kill me."

"Yeah." Jack gulped, nodding. His grip was tight on the steering wheel.

Gabriel lifted their joint hand to kiss the back of his. "I'm pretty sure you were what kept me alive."

"You give me way too much credit," Jack responded, turning onto one of the streets.

"And you don't give yourself enough."

"I practically glued myself to your side, Gabe." Jack chuckled. "I don't see how that saved your life."

“It was better than being alone." He stole his hand back for a moment to turn the music up to try to lighten the mood, humming along when the song hit the chorus.

Jack sighed, shoulders relaxing more and more as the song progressed.

By the time they'd reached the little farm, he was able to push away the thoughts of their SEP days.

Jack parked behind a larger truck, taking several deep breaths before opening the door to face his uncle. It was clear by the small twitch in his eyebrow that Jack was not looking forward to the meeting.

"You ready?" Gabriel asked, joining him at the front of the truck.

Jack's fingers reached up to his hair, feeling for any fly away strands. Once he deemed himself presentable, he stood, shoulders back, chin held high. The very picture of the Strike-Commander he used to be.

Behind him, Gabriel snorted, amused. "Goddamn, Jack."

"What?" Jack's fingers brushed against the blue duster, almost the same from when he was still in command, apart from some bars. He smoothed any wrinkles he came across, making sure his armoured boots were free from any blemishes.

Gabriel stepped forward and caught his chin, turning it to press a kiss to his lips. He couldn't get any more handsome than in that moment.

Jack's eyes fluttered closed, wrapping his arms around Gabriel's shoulders, indulging briefly in a slow kiss before pulling away with a sparkle in his eyes. 

"Well, we better get on it."

Gabriel replied by guiding him to the door and knocking.

The man that opened the door was just as Jack remembered: short, squat, and red faced with cornflower blue eyes and blond hair.

Jack's face remained neutral as he stared down his nose. "Richard."

"John," he said, looking between Jack and Gabriel.

"Jack," he corrected.

"You didn't bring your mother with you I see."

Jack shook his head. "She's sick, travelling wouldn't be good for her health."

"She's planning on moving back here, isn't she? What'll be the excuse then?" he pointed out, frowning deeply. It left dark lines in his face.

"Hopefully she'll be better by then." Jack's voice remained even. "After all, you need to prepare for a move."

He raised a brow. "I didn't move in."

Jack stepped in through the door, entering the house from his childhood. "So, why'd you buy it then?"

"It was an investment," Richard answered as Gabriel moved past him to follow Jack. The door clicked shut.

"So, everything is an investment for you? If you don't get money from it, it's a waste?"

"It's how life works, John," Richard said flatly, brushing past him and heading for the kitchen. "It's a shame your mother never taught you that."

Jack hummed. "And how's working the farm going?"

"I've good people working it."

"You do, do you? Are you making any profit? The cost of having a bunch of workers does pile up." Jack leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

"I'm not paying out much," he said back, a hint of smugness in his voice.

"You have a bunch of people working physical labour for long hours and you're not paying out much?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Takes less people than you think. And selling one of those horses brought in money to cover their pay cheques. Nothing I'm doing is illegal."

Jack breathed in slowly, a tell that he was starting to lose his patience.

"I've got buyers looking at the other one, too."

He closed his eyes briefly, before returning his gaze to his uncle, holding the blue steadily. "You're not looking after a farm if you're selling away the animals one by one."

"I'm doing what I need to do to bring in money. It's mine now."

"If you're selling the animals is the farm really worth your time and all the money that will inevitably be spent on its upkeep?" He narrowed his eyes. "Is that a smart business  investment, Richard?"

"I've got it under control, Jonathan. Trust me, I know how to take care of my investments."

"Do you? You claim to be a smart business man but I've seen no evidence of it."

"The farm was struggling before I got my hands on it. I've got the best working on it, and once we switch over to newer methods of farming, it'll thrive."

"Will it?"

"I know what I'm doing. Keep implying I don't and you can leave without even seeing the deed to this place."

Jack removed himself from the wall, moving to stand in front of his uncle, drawing up to his full height, feet placed shoulders width apart as he hands rested clasped behind his back.  "Are you threatening me, Richard?"

A hand settled on Jack's shoulder and he whipped around, arm raised and ready to deck whoever touched his shoulder.

Gabriel had barely managed to pull the intruder back just out of Jack's reach. 

"Whoa, Jack, calm down," the man said, amusement dripping from his voice.

"Huh?"

"Aw, shit, has it been that long?" he laughed, shrugging off Gabriel's hand and slinking over and leaning down to rest an elbow on Richard's shoulder. "You hear that, Richie, kid don't remember me!"

"Uncle Geoff?" Jack squinted, confused.

"There you go!" He straightened up, though his back stayed mildly hunched as he reached up to run a hand through thinning, graying blond hair. The skin around deep blue eyes wrinkled as he smiled wide. "Good to see you, squirt. What's brought you back here? And where're those moms of yours?"

Jack's posture relaxed slightly. "Not much of a squirt anymore. And I'm here to get the farm back."

"No one told me she'd even sold it." He looked down at Richard through thick glasses. "I still don't get why you want it, you were the one that she suggested she take it when Mom and Dad wanted to give it to you."

"I was being sarcastic," Richard grumbled and crossed his arms over a wide chest.

Geoff stepped closer to Jack, though his eyes slid to Gabriel. "And who's your friend?"

Jack immediately brightened at the mention of Gabriel. "He's Gabriel, my boyfriend."

Geoff grinned and reached a long arm out, shaking hands with Gabriel. "Nice to meet you. What'd you do to your shoulder?"

"Grenade," Gabriel answered immediately, thrown off. 

Geoff whistled.

Jack moved beside Gabriel, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

Richard scowled. "Do you want to see this papers or not?"

"You're going to forfeit the farm?"

"You're not going to leave unless I do, I'm sure."

Jack nodded. "You're right, I wouldn't leave. I have everything I could possibly need right here."

"Let's go talk in the kitchen, it's more comfortable there," Geoff said, forcibly guiding his brother toward the kitchen and motioning for the other two to follow. "You want any coffee, tea?"

Jack nodded, following his uncle. "Tea would be fine."

"I'll throw the kettle on." 

While Geoff busied himself with the stove, Richard spread the paperwork out on the table.

Jack hummed, skimming the papers before turning back to Richard. "That's all of it?"

"Every last page."

Jack nodded slowly, reaching into his pocket to pull out a pen as he sat down. He grabbed the first piece of paper and started reading it slowly.

"You never answered me," Geoff said, cups clanking as he pulled them from the shelf. "Where's Raven holed up?"

"Close to one of our watchpoints," Jack commented offhandedly.

"That tells me jack shit," he teased.

Jack hummed, switching to the next piece of paper, eyes gliding over the page.

He was laughed at warmly, and Geoff met Gabriel's eyes. 

"He's not listening, is he?"

Gabriel just smiled, taking a seat beside Jack and set a hand on his knee. Jack shot a mindless smile to Gabriel before picking up his pen to scribble something on the paper before moving on.

"So how'd you two meet?" Geoff asked, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms to wait for the water to boil. "Raven mentioned you but skipped some things."

"We were both put into the same military program and he wouldn't leave my side. You get close when your life's on the line."

He hummed, smiling and nodding to himself. "You look like newlyweds." 

"I wish," he said, pulling Jack closer to himself, kissing the side of his head.

Jack paused, putting the paper down to press a quick peck to Gabriel's cheek before returning to them.

"You remind me of Raven when she was younger, and she'd just met Michelle," Geoff said, making his brother groan.

"We're not talking about this. I refuse."

Jack blinked, looking up at the table. "What's the laughing about?"

"They're gossiping," Richard said angrily, crossing his arms. "Now are you finished?"

"Almost. I'm taking my time to read the fine print."

"It's the same agreement I signed, just ask your black friend."

Jack glared at Richard. "His name is Gabriel." His voice dripping with anger.

"Gabriel," Richard repeated with an exasperated sigh.

Jack breathed out heavily through his nose, the pen scratching heavily against the paper as he signed. He stood up, slamming the papers down in front of Richard. "There."

He picked them up, glancing over them to ensure they'd been filled out correctly while his brother brought over two steaming mugs of tea.

"Thank you," Jack said, immediately taking a sip. He pulled a face before going to retrieve a spoon, dumping spoonful after spoonful into the mug.

Geoff started to howl with laughter, Richard staring at him with horror. His boyfriend rolled his eyes fondly.

"What?"

"I fucking forgot you-" Geoff managed to choke out through his laughter.

"What!?"

"Oh my God I've missed you, squirt!"

Richard had had enough, gathering the paperwork and shoving it into a folder. As he left he snarled out, "Stay as long as you like."

"I'm not a squirt," Jack mumbled, taking another sip of the drink. "And thanks, I will. Since I now own the place."

Geoff smiled at him softly and meandered toward the door. "I guess you'll be wanting me to leave too?"

"You can stay as long as you want to, Uncle Geoff."

"I want to talk to you, Jack," he said, motioning for him to follow.

Jack placed his drink on the table, giving Gabriel a confused shrug before trailing after his uncle.

"You smoke?" Geoff asked, digging a package out of his pocket and offering one to him.

Jack shook his head. "Can't stand the smell," he said.

He shrugged and slipped the end of one into his mouth and leaned against the railing of the deck. "How's Raven really doing, Jack? We both know saying she's fine's horse shit."

Jack shrugged. "Losing weight, dark circles under her eyes. All the things that come with cancer. She's tired a lot too."

"It's been years since I've seen her, I came back as soon as I heard, but I found Richie here instead of her. Imagine my surprise."

Jack grimaced, imagining experiencing that for himself. "Is surprise the word you're going for?"

"He's still my brother, squirt," he reminded with a smile. "You know he doesn't mean to be like that, right? Raven just reminds him of some shitty mistakes he made, and he considers what he did to you one of them."

Jack furrowed his brow, confused. "What do you mean 'what he did to me'? Even though I don't like him I don't remember him doing anything toward me he'd necessarily regret."

"I don't know, maybe it had something to do with him getting your biological mother pregnant and helping her lose custody," he hummed, lighting his cigarette.

Jack's brain went blank, his uncle’s words repeating through his head like a broken record as he stared at the smoke coming off from the cigarette. "What."

"Mhm. When Raven found out she was furious and we fought tooth and nail to get custody of you for years."

Jack sat down on the bench near the front door. His head fell into his hands. "What exactly are you saying here?" His voice was muffled.

"Richard's your father, and Raven wanted to keep you in the family so me and her fought to adopt you, and we won."

Jack leaned back in the chair, running his hands down his face. He honestly didn't know what to think or say.

A bony hand ran through his hair gently. "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you sooner but Raven wasn't sure how you'd take it. But that's part of why he acts like an ass. They never got along and then her adopting you made it worse for him."

Tears pricked at his eyes, he stared blankly in front of him. He preferred not knowing who his father was. He didn't want to know what his life would have been like if he ended up with that man as a dad. And the fact he made his biological mom lose custody of him? Jack barely remembered her, but she wasn't awful.

He was pulled gently into his uncle's arms. "Hey, it's okay to cry. You're a good man, Jack, and your mother's so damn proud of you, you're practically all she wants to talk about when she calls."

Jack laughed wetly into his shoulder. "This is so fucked up..."

"Yeah. You're right. But things coulda been worse, you know? We could've lost you for good."

"I guess."

"Come on, Jack, don't be so upset."

Jack grimaced. "That man is my father! I'm going to be upset. He took me away from the woman who gave birth to me and tried to keep me from getting adopted by my moms. I'm allowed to be upset!"

Geoff winced, sighing. "You're right. I'm sorry."

He wiped his eyes, attempting to collect himself. "Is there anything else I need to be told?"

"No. She didn't want to keep anything else from you. She hated even keeping that from you."

Jack nodded. "I appreciate that at least. I just... don't know if I wanted to ever know that."

"She would've told you anyways if she ends up dying."

Jack sighed heavily. "We should... go back."

"I oughta get back to the hotel I'm staying at, my wife's waiting for me." He got up, knees cracking.

"You can stay the night here if you want to," Jack offered.

"How long are you staying around?"

"Until tomorrow. Gabriel has a lot of work to get back to." Jack stretched out his legs in front of him.

Geoff smiled down at him sadly. "You're not here for long, damn. I guess it's my fault I missed so much of you growing up, I wanted to travel and now you're busy with work. I'm glad I was here when you paid Richie a visit."

Jack shrugged. "It's okay. You sent postcards and stuff, I was convinced you were Santa for a couple of years. It really doesn't matter now."

"I'll be back in a couple of hours," he paused, smile growing genuine. "You've got a great boyfriend, squirt. It was nice meeting him."

"Yeah, I'm lucky." Jack's smile was soft. He gave his uncle a brief hug before returning to the kitchen. Sitting down beside Gabriel, he took his hand.

"I expected it to go worse than that," Gabriel said, squeezing his hand.

Jack shrugged. Deciding the chair wasn't good enough he moved to Gabriel's lap, tucking his head in between the curve of Gabriel's neck and shoulder.

Fingers ran through his hair soothingly.

He closed his eyes, trying to focus on the hands stroking through his hair, the sensation helping to calm him.

He wasn't forced to speak as Gabriel's hand slowly moved down to his shoulder to work at the tense muscles.

They stayed there, curled into each other's arms, until Gabriel reluctantly encouraged him to move, complaining that his legs were asleep and his shoulder was aching.

Jack sighed heavily, but complied, slowly moving away for his boyfriend to stretch out.

He was chuckled at softly and a hand was offered, and once he'd taken it he was led back to his bedroom. Little had changed, though there was the faint odor of smoke and an ash tray resting on his side table.

His nose wrinkled at the smell, sharp and unpleasant. He took the tray and dumped the ashes out the window before debating chucking the thing after them.

Gabriel eyed the tray.

"What?"

"I might step out to smoke, if you're alright with that."

Jack sighed heavily, eyes turning to the tray. He didn't want Gabriel to smoke, but what would stopping him from doing it do? "Fine." He sighed again, handing the ashtray over.

Gabriel caught his wrist and pulled him in closer to press a kiss to his temple before accepting the tray. "I'll be right back, sunshine."

He nodded, watching as Gabriel left the room before returning to his bed, leaning back against the pillows. He stared at the ceiling, the earlier events repeating through his mind.

His phone buzzed in his pocket.

Confused, Jack took it out to check.

**[Received 9:19 pm] Jesse : hey pa just wanted to check in**

Jack smiled, a stupid cowboy hat emoji beside Jesse's name programed into his phone. He quickly typed out a response. 

**[Sent 9:20pm] J. Morrison : got the farm back**

**[Received 9:20pm] Jesse : knew you would**

Jack smiled faintly. 

**[Send 9:21pm] J. Morrison: I got some news though. I'll tell you when I get back.**

**[Received 9:23pm] Jesse : uh oh that sounds bad. whos dead**

**[Received 9:23pm] Jesse : is it gabe**

**[Send 9:24pm] J. Morrison: No one's dead.**

**[Received 9:24pm] Jesse : damn**

Jack shook his head. His son was always ready to jump to conclusions. He put his phone on the bedside table, lying on his side to stare out the window.

A few minutes later and his phone was buzzing again.

Jack sighed, picking it up.

**[Received 9:28pm] Jesse : i was kidding. i miss you**

Jack huffed, rolling his eyes. 

**[Sent 9:28pm] J. Morrison : It's barely been one day.**

**[Received 9:30 pm] Jesse : i spent the day with Chaudhri. and rein's not here im lonely as fuck, pa**

He chuckled, shaking his head. 

**[Sent 9:30pm] J. Morrison : Language, Jesse.**

**[Received 9:30pm] Jesse : hows gabe**

**[Sent 9:31pm] J. Morrison : Fine. He's out smoking.**

The next text was a picture of Jesse doing the same, expression cheeky and background full of stars.

Jack sighed. "Why." He rubbed his hands over his eyes. He knew Jesse was just trying to make it better but it fell flat.

**[Received 9:32pm] Jesse : jk im sitting in your room watching a movie before you get mad. im trying to quit**

Jack raised an eyebrow at the screen.

**[Sent 9:32pm] J. Morrison : This is news to me. What made you decide that?**

**[Received 9:35pm] Jesse: talked to rein**

Footsteps came down the hall toward his room.

Jack nodded. If anyone would talk Jesse out of the terrible habit it would be Reinhardt. 

He turned toward the door just as it opened slowly. Gabriel stepped in, closing it behind himself.

"How was your smoke?" he asked.

"Fine. Sorry I took so long, I got a call." Gabriel crossed to him, sitting next to him on the bed.

"A call? Who was it?" Jack scooted over, making more room for him.

He made a noncommittal noise, leaning on him. "It wasn't important, something's just come up. I'm pretending it didn't happen."

Jack tilted his head, curious. "It must be important if you're trying to pretend it hasn't happened."

He groaned. "Just a meeting someone wants."

Jack nodded, curling up beside Gabriel.

Fingers started to card through his hair again gently. "They want me back there tomorrow morning first thing, I told them they wait."

"We'll get there when we get there, yeah?" Jack mumbled.

His phone went off again, making Gabriel raise a brow with a smile. 

"Who's that?"

"Jesse. He's on a texting spree," he answered, nuzzling his face into Gabriel's shirt.

He smiled at the chuckle that he felt through the thin layer of cotton. 

"Kid's a chatterbox."

"Yeah." Jack smiled against the shirt. His kid pulled him right out of a funk he could feel coming on. It must be a sixth sense for him at that point.

He was pulled closer with a content sigh.

"Love you, Gabe."

"I love you too, cariño," he replied with a yawn.

"I think you should get some rest."

"Only if you do too."

Jack chuckled. "I'll try, I make no promises though."

He was pulled down into a short, sweet kiss.

Jack smiled against his lips. "Good night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow we're so sorry this has taken so long. Please take this small fact as an apology: the more stressed jack is, the more sugar he consumes.


	34. Chapter 34

Arriving back on base as almost a relief. As soon as they stepped foot on familiar territory, he could feel himself relax, no longer having to but up a front for his uncles.

Gabriel bumped his hip as they shouldered their bags, smiling warmly at him.

Jack returned the smile, wrapping an arm around his waist as they made the trek back to their quarters.

They hesitated upon arriving, however, at the sight of a woman leaning against the door. She looking up from examining the sleek tablet in her hand, straightening with a smirk.

"Gabriel," she called warmly.

Jack felt him tense, especially when she approached them, sharp heels clicking menacingly on the concrete floor.

He moved his hand to Gabriel's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "Gabe?" he asked.

His boyfriend swallowed, voice strained. "You weren't supposed to be here."

The woman's smile grew, dark eyes glittering. "You weren't answering your phone."

"It's off."

"I noticed. You did say today was fine for us to meet."

"I just got back, Theresa."

"I can see that." She stopped in front of Jack, offering him a hand. Her nails were pristine and painted a soft lilac. "Jack Morrison, I've heard all about you. My name is Theresa Reyes, I doubt you've heard of me. I'm Gabriel's sister."

Jack took her hand, hesitant. "It's a pleasure." His voice was all Strike-Commander charm, but nothing close to how he sounded when genuinely happy with meeting someone.

"So I guess you weren't lying after all, Gabriel," she hummed, moving her hands to rest them lightly on her hips. "You really did run away to the army to meet a man."

Beside him, Gabriel ground his teeth. "Theresa."

She rolled her eyes, that smile still in place. "Relax, brother, I'm only teasing. I did come to discuss something important with you. We do have a deal, after all."

"Let me drop off my things then we'll talk. Anything we discuss is confidential, and we're standing talking in a hallway of all places."

She stepped aside, motioning for the door.

Gabriel practically dragged him inside.

Jack whipped his head back and forth between the two of them, having a conversation he wasn't quite privy to. He threw his luggage back into his room thankful that nothing in there was fragile, before moving to the small kitchen area to turn on the kettle. He wanted something stronger than coffee, but this would have to do.

"Back from a honeymoon?"

Gabriel scowled, not deigning that with a response. "What do you want?"

"There's a girl I've taken a liking to, one you happen to have an eye on," she said, ignoring the look she got from Jack. She merely winked at him, striding confidently to the table and sitting down primly while her brother sat down heavily across from her with his arms folded over his chest.

"No."

"No?"

"That decision's not mine to make, it's Ziegler's. And before you say another word, it's not yours either. Pick something else."

She eyed Jack, gaze lingering long enough that Gabriel began to growl.

The air that was exuding from both of them made Jack want to shrink into his jacket and disappear, but unfortunately that wasn't quite possible.

"Do, uh, either of you want something to drink?" he asked just to be polite.

"Please," they said together. Gabriel dug his nails into the table, sighing through his nose.

" _Look_ , you either give me a reason to keep talking to you or you get the fuck out of here, do you understand? You were never supposed to-"

"What," she said, cutting him off with a cruel smile, "meet your precious boyfriend? Are you seriously still that upset over what happened? You were just as to blame as-"

" _Bullshit._ "

She pursed her lips. "You're quicker to cut me off than usual. What's wrong, Gabo?"

She rose to her feet, wandering out into the kitchen, eyes wandering Jack's quarters.

Jack felt a chill run down his spine, wanting to shut the door to his room, but would probably end up instigating something if he did. "Is coffee good?"

"That would be heavenly, thank you," she replied sweetly. "How are you, Jack?"

"Good." His response was clipped. "What do you want in it?"

"I'll take it the way Gabriel normally does." Her dark eyes flicked back to her seething brother. "How long have you two been together? I'm afraid he really hasn't told me all that much about you, not that I haven't tried asking."

Jack poured the coffee into mugs, stirring in two sugar with one cream into two of the mugs before piling his obscene amount of sugar into his own.

"Three years roughly. That's not including the time we danced around each other for."

She hummed, accepting the cup when he offered it to her, smiling at him more sincerely. "He always has been good at dancing."

Jack narrowed his eyes with a frown. "And what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"He's one of the least communicative individuals I've ever had the displeasure meeting," she replied, lifting on shoulder delicately in a shrug. "I've seen it all from him. I'm sure you don't even know half of the things he's been through, but I'm sure it likely feels like you know everything."

Gabriel's chair scraped loudly against the floor as he stood. " _Theresa_ "

She took it for what it was, a threat. She glanced at Jack, sipped her coffee, moved back to the table and passed it to the couch. Running a finger across the back cushion, she hummed again softly, this time with a tune. "How long have you two actually known each other?"

Jack clutched the remaining coffee mugs, placing one in front of Gabriel before returning to his spot at the table. He didn't want to think about what Theresa was saying, but it nagged at him.

"Roughly 15 years I'd say."

She turned to face them, smile gone, the teasing lightness to her voice gone. "Have you told him about her?"

The reaction was instantaneous. Gabriel slammed his hands down on the table with enough force to splash coffee across the wood. " _Say another word!_ "

Theresa didn't even blink. "She's been asking about you, you know. I may or may not have given her your number. You should really check your phone, brother dearest. Oh, and Mother's asked me yet again if you want to pay her a visit. Well over 20 years is long enough, don't you think?"

Jack flinched as he tried to steady his own mug, holding onto it as if it was a lifeline. He had no idea what they were talking about, and it hurt. It seemed like a big deal and he wasn't allowed to know about it. He took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling.

"Get out," Gabriel said through his teeth. His sister clicked over to them, setting down the mug when she'd finished the coffee inside. She passed by them, touching Jack's shoulders as she did, and paused upon reaching the door.

"I do hope you'll reach out, Gabriel," she practically whispered, voice soft and sad. "It has been years, things have changed. The question is, have you? It was a pleasure to meet you, Jack, I just wish it hadn't been so... intense. Have a good day, boys."

And then she was gone.

Jack heard the door click shut, not turning to see her leave or give her a proper send off like a proper host. He couldn't bring himself to. All he could do was stare into his mug, watching the steam float away from the top.

Beside him, Gabriel slowly slumped back into his chair, hands coming up at a snail's pace to rub at his face and slide under the beanie and nearly force it off. He groaned quietly into his palms, tension in every inch of his body.

Jack stood, moving beside him. He rested his hand on his shoulder. "Gabriel?"

The man didn't move. "You weren't supposed to hear any of that... You were never supposed to meet her... Please, for the love of God, pretend you never did..."

"I... don't think I can pretend that," he admitted.

Gabriel made a choked noise, curling in on himself more. "Fuck... I... should go. I've got meetings, and training, and..."

"We just got back and-and that happened. You should rest. Training can wait, meetings can be rescheduled." Jack watched as Gabriel closed off, heart wrenching at the sight.  
He tried to take a breath, the result was a whimper. He kept his head down, his hands hiding his face.

"Gabriel." Jack attempted to move the chair, to let the man face him, but it wasn't working. He kept his hand on his shoulder, gently rubbing circles into it. "Just... try to breathe, okay?"

He nodded into his palms, forcing himself to breathe slowly. He pressed back into Jack's touch.

"Gabe, w-what's going on?" he asked, hoping for an answer but not expecting any.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I can't..."

Jack sighed, wanting to press further. He knew he shouldn't though, it would just make things worse.

Gabriel lowered his hands after a moment more, exposing empty eyes and silent tears.

"There he is," Jack whispered, trying to smile but he knew it didn't quite reach his eyes. He reached out, brushing the tears from his boyfriend's cheeks.

Dark eyes slid closed at the touch. "I love you, my sunshine..."

"I love you too, Gabe." Jack pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. "I just... what's going on? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

“I know.”

"I want to help to make it better but I can't do that if I don't know what's wrong."

"I don't know where to start," Gabriel confessed in a whisper.

"The beginning is always a good place."

He laughed bitterly. "The beginning of what? There's no beginning to start from, Jack."

"Everything has a beginning, Gabriel. Nothing just comes to be out of nowhere. Even then, it's still a start." Jack attempted to smile.

His boyfriend didn't return it. "She was talking about my ex. From when I was, what, 18? 19? She wanted to get a rise out of both of us and would have said anything to get it."

Jack nodded. "Siblings, huh?"

"They're not all like her, thank God." Gabriel scrubbed his hand over his face with a look of exhaustion.

"I wouldn't know."

"I've got several of them."

"Wow!" Jack made his voice lighter, trying to lift the mood. "It'd be cool to meet them all."

But Gabriel hesitated again. "I'm not sure I'd want you to."

Jack tried not to sigh in disappointment. "That's alright. You have your reasons."

"I... didn't have a good home, growing up... I don't know what it's like now, I haven't been there since I enlisted," he managed to say, refusing to meet those pleading blue eyes.

Jack squeezed Gabriel's shoulder once more, pressing a soft kiss to the side of his boyfriend's head. "You don't have to go back there if you don't ever want to. It's in the past now. Besides, your family is right here."

And the tension bled from Gabriel's shoulders almost instantly, a smile rising to his lips hesitantly. "Yeah. You're right, I do. You, and Jesse."

Jack felt the tight grip around his heart ease, relaxing at the beautiful smile. "Ana, Fareeha, Reinhardt, and Torbjörn too."

He chuckled. "Yeah, them too."

"Our ramshackle family is all we need, okay?"

He nodded, drawing Jack in for a soft kiss, one hand resting on his.

Jack thread his fingers through Gabriel's, cradling his face with the other hand.

"There's a reason I call you my sunshine," Gabriel whispered when they parted, free hand coming up to touch Jack's cheek.

"I'm not much of a sunshine, but, I can try."

He smiled and drew back, picking up the half empty mug of coffee he'd spilt with a sigh and got to his feet. "I'm sorry, I'll clean this up."

"That's okay, you didn't break anything. Even if you did, that's a pretty shitty mug.

He snorted, carrying  the mug out to the kitchen to put in the sink before collecting paper towels to mop up the spill.

Jack kneeled down, helping to clean up the mess that was made, before returning to the kitchen. It didn't take him long to wet a cloth to wipe the floor to avoid it from becoming too sticky.

Thick arms came around his waist.

Jack chuckled, leaning back into them.

"Have I told you lately that you're beautiful?" Gabriel said into the curve of his neck.

Jack chuckled once more. "I don't think you have."

Soft kisses were pressed along the side of his jaw. "You're goddamn gorgeous, Jack. Fucking beautiful."

"You trying to go for something here?" He breathed out between laughs.

He felt Gabriel's laugh in his bones. "I'm just... awed by you."

"Yeah?" He raised an eyebrow that Gabriel wouldn't see.

"You're... incredible in a lot of ways you just can't see." He sighed, breath hot on Jack's neck. "I'm not good at this... I love you so much, you were my second chance."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Shush, you sap."

"Sorry, I'll stop," he teased.

"What brought this on?"

"What, I can't tell you I love you?"

"All you need to do is say 'I love you', you don't need to dance around it."

He gave a short hum then let go, stepping away and crossing his arms. His eyes traveled away. Jack tried his best not to frown, not liking the way Gabriel was starting to close off.

"I really do need to go, I have reports to fill out on the failed mission and my shoulder is killing me. And you should go see Jesse, I'm sure the kid's missing you," Gabriel said.

He nodded sadly, not wanting Gabriel to leave his sights. "Alright..."

He was pulled forward and his cheek kissed before Gabriel left.

He sighed, watching Gabriel close the door behind him as he left to continue his work as Strike-Commander.

 

* * *

 

 

Jack's hand rested in front of the door, raised to knock but not going through with it. He was so tired, and felt it right to his bones. He wasn't sleeping as much lately, the dark circles he covered up with concealer a testament to that.

He waited long enough that the choice to knock was taken from him, the door swinging open and a surprised Michelle almost running into him. "Oh! Jack!"

"Mom!" He wrapped his arms around her, an automatic response.

She leaned into it, returning the gesture with a smile. "I wasn't expecting to see you today.

"I want really expecting to see you today either." He chuckled weakly.

She led him inside, shutting the door to the tiny apartment behind them. "I'm so happy to see you."

"It wasn't that long since we saw each other last."

She smiled. "Am I not allowed to enjoy seeing my son?"

"Nope, never." He smiled, playfully nudging her.

She pouted at him playfully before drawing him back into a hug. "I know you being here probably means something bad happened, but you picked a good day to come, at least for me."

"Why is today a good day?"

"Raven's been having a rough one, that's all. I'd like the company."

He nodded. "Well, today was the perfect day for me to visit as well."

"Oh?" She took his hand, bringing him to the couch and making him sit while she went into the kitchen to get them something to drink.

"It's a surprise," he answered. No matter where he went that couch was the most comfortable surface he'd ever come across.

She laughed softly to herself, and a few minutes later she returned to the couch with a steaming cup of tea that she set on the coffee table to let steep. She sat sideways to face him. "What's this surprise, Jackie?"

"Both you and Ma have to be here for it."

She pretended to groan and heaved herself up, heading off to the bedroom and slipping inside. Her head poked back out a moment later. "Come on in, you can bring the tea."

Jack nodded, taking the delicate China cup in his large hands. He paused a moment to gather himself before entering the room, a large smile on his face.

His mother smiled at him tiredly from the bed, leaning forward as her wife adjusted pillows to help her sit up, a warm pad held to her forehead. "Hi, John."

"Hey, Ma!"

She beckoned him over, settling back against the pillows.

He went, sitting on the edge of the bed, placing his cup on the dresser. "How are you feeling?"

She held up a finger to silence him, motioning for him to get closer.

He complied.

She gently forced him to lay down, his head resting in her lap. She ran her fingers through his hair. "What were you saying?”

"How are you feeling?" he repeated, eyes fluttering closed.

"I have a headache I can't seem to get rid of from trouble sleeping, and a variety of other symptoms, but I'm alive. And I have you visiting, which makes it better."

Jack chuckled, snuggling into the sheets that fell at her waist. "I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise? What surprise could be better than simply having you visit?"

Jack smiled into the duvet. "I got the farm back."

She froze, her hand still in his hair. "You...?"

He nodded. Realising she wouldn't be able to see, he said, "Yeah."

"How did you...?"

"I sold it to Richard," Michelle spoke up. "To at least try to keep it in the family."

"Richard...? Richie never would have... My God, you really got it back?" Raven breathed.

"Uh huh. It wasn't too hard, actually. Just told him it was a bad business investment."

She smiled down at him, tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you, John, this means so much..."

He shrugged. "It's the least I could do for you, Ma."

"I can't thank you enough," Michelle whispered.

"You could thank me by letting me have a nap," he said playfully, attempting to stifle a yawn.

"You can nap as long as you'd like."

Jack hummed, content, before snuggling closer into his mother's warmth. It felt easy to forget about everything else that was going on in his life here, Raven's fingers stroking through his hair. No Jesse to constantly worry about while he was training or on missions, no shitty uncle - father? - to think of, and not being constantly bombarded with the dead look in Gabriel's eyes.

His mothers talked softly together about nothing in particular, filling the silence with the soft murmur of familiar voices as he closed his eyes. Before long he was dozing off, Michelle's hand warm on his leg.

He didn't know how long it was until his eyes slowly opened, drawn back into consciousness. He felt well rested, something that he was relieved by.

Stretching, his toes hit the end of the bed, his legs needing the space after being curled up for so long.

"Shh." Michelle touched his arm, drawing his attention. She smiled down at him, nodding her head toward Raven who had followed her son's example and fallen asleep.

Seeing his ma look so peaceful and without worrying brought a smile to his face. All traces of her illness seemed to have vanished, making her seem years younger than she actually was.

"She fell asleep almost as soon as you did," his mom said, her voice almost inaudible. "It's the first time she's slept this well in weeks. Thank you."

Jack turned his smile to her. "I hope you don't have any blackmail photos of this," he joked lightly.

She giggled. “I wish.”

"Think we should leave her to rest some more?”

She nodded, very carefully extracting herself from the bed after pressing a light kiss to her wife's temple. Jack watched the scene in front of him, a pang in his chest.

Michelle brought him back to the couch. "You look like you have a lot on your mind."

He nodded, slumping into the cushions. "Yeah. Too much is on my mind. Ma wasn't the only one to have had the first good sleep in a while."

"You can talk to us, if it ever gets to be too much, Jack," she said, taking his hand in hers.

Jack nodded. "Thank you. I... Won't take you up on that offer right now. Things might sort itself out and I could be making a big deal out of nothing."

"I won't force you. I just want you to know that we're here for you."

"I know." Jack sighed, placing his head in his hands. "I know."

She set her hand on his back gently. "Aw, Jack..."

He sniffled, tears pricking at the corner of his eyes. "Everything's gonna sort itself out," he said more to himself than to Michelle.

"Do... you want to do something to try to take your mind off it?" she asked hesitantly. "We can go somewhere, or watch something here."

He nodded, wiping the tears with his hands as he dragged them down his face. "Yeah, yeah that would be good."

She paused in thought for a moment then stood, offering him a hand up.

Jack took it, letting her pull him out of the seat. "What do you have planned?"

"I was going grocery shopping when you stopped by, and Raven usually goes with me, so I thought maybe you could join me."

"I can do that."

She grabbed her purse and keys, leading him out into the hall and locking up after them.

 

* * *

 

 

His keys jangled as he unlocked the door, shoulders heavy. He didn't know how Gabriel always did it, putting up with all of Jack's bad days.

Sighing heavily, he landed on the couch, face resting against the armrest, legs dangling off the other end. Too much was happening all at once. He didn't know how to handle it.

The silence of his room clung to his skin. He was rarely alone in his room these days, as Gabriel had been slowly but surely moving in in that unobtrusive way of his. He was always around, always spending the night; he knew where everything was and how to work everything, but so far none of his belongings sans a toothbrush had been moved to Jack's quarters. His own were barely used these days, and he knew that if Gabriel was in there it was for less than ten minutes at a time. They had been doing so well.

And now with Jesse back the teenager drifted in and out so in those rare Gabriel wasn't there, Jesse at least was.

But now... now he was alone, with no immediate responsibilities demanding his attention and no company to distract him.

He didn't like it. His arm reached out, searching for the remote, before closing over the device and turning on the tv for some sort of background noise. It would be better than being alone with his own thoughts.

It was halfway through a movie, a cheesy romance where a woman was pining after the character of Death.

He rolled his eyes quickly flicking to something more bearable. A show about two people searching for a house with a "measly" budget of a million dollars.

He watched several episodes from start to finish before the door slid open quietly.

He didn't bother looking up, very few people were able to get into his quarters without him opening the door for them first.

"Dad?" Footsteps came toward the couch before Jesse peeked over the back of it.

“Jess?”

"What are you doing?"

"Watching thrilling tv. This poor couple can't find a house within their million dollar budget." His voice was flat.

Raising a brow, Jesse picked up the remote and turned it to an action movie. "But why?"

He shrugged. "I like seeing how entitled these people are."

"Not what I meant. Why're you laying here watching tv looking like someone spit in your food."

"Too much happening all at once."

Jesse moved his legs over just enough to sit beside him. "Wanna talk? I can be a good listener."

Jack shrugged again. "Don't want to burden you."

“You're not, Dad.”

He sighed heavily, sitting up to give his son room to sit. "I don't know..."

"Come on," he pressed. "You tell me something then I'll tell you something, deal?"

"Alright." He took a moment to collect himself, staring directly at the tv. "I found out who my biological dad is."

Jesse paused, turning his gaze from the tv to him. "Yeah?"

"A man I grew up hating."

“Who?”

“My uncle Richard…”

“You have an uncle?”

“I have two. One I like well enough, the other… I’d sooner punch in the face.” He laughed mirthlessly. “And that’s the man who fathered me!”

Jesse leaned on him. “Well shit. That sucks.”

“You’re telling me.”

“The one you don’t like must be an ass, what’s the other one like?”

“He’s cool. He backpacks across Europe with his wife. I was convinced he was Santa when I was younger.” Jack chuckled, shaking his head at the memory.

His son snorted. “Sounds fun.”

“I got some cool stuff from him.”

“Will I ever get to meet him?”

“Probably one day.”

“You never mentioned them before,” he said softly, looking up at his dad.

He shrugged. “I didn’t have much reason to mention my uncles.”

Jesse nodded, expression thoughtful. “Mamá and Dad wanted to have another kid, after me.”

“Yeah?” Jack prompted.

“I heard them talking about it a lot, saying they were trying when they were talking with their friends. They’d talk about it when they thought I was asleep too, and a couple times she said she might be pregnant. Guess it didn’t work.” He shrugged.

“It happens,” Jack said. “It’s not as straightforward as people make it out to be.”

He nodded. “I know. I liked listening to them talk, my dad was fluent in English and Mamá could speak some. I didn’t pay enough attention to pick up much before I met you.”

Chuckling, he turned off the tv. “Knowing more than one language is always good.

“You know,” he said, scraping his nail against his pant leg. “My dad was an American like you, he did something for business that had him traveling and he met my mother in Mexico and I guess he stayed. We used to go to the US a lot.”

“Did you like seeing the  good ole U S of A?”

He shrugged. “It was different. I liked it better when I knew what people were saying.”

Jack chuckled. “I suppose that would help.”

“Where’s Gabe?” Jesse asked.

“Doing some Strike-Commander thing,” he answered with a sigh.

Jesse raised a brow.

“He’s…” Jack shrugged. “I don’t know,” he offered, completely at a loss where to begin.

“What do you mean?” his son pressed.

“I don’t know, something’s eating at him. I don’t know what and he won’t give me any actual information about it.”

He frowned.

“It’s nothing… It’ll blow over.”

Jesse’s next words were hesitant. “You sure? Gabe ain’t usually like this.”

“I know, it’s just,” he hesitated, leaning back in the couch. He brushed his hands through his hair, making the blond strands stick up in every direction. “I don’t know what to think or do.”

“I’d try talking to him, just in case it doesn’t go away as easy as you think it will.”

“We have spoken… He just… doesn’t tell me.”

“Aren’t relationships supposed to be two sided?”

Jack turned to him with a frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

His gaze was turned down, and he shrugged a shoulder weakly. “You tell him stuff, don’t you?”

His eyes drifted away, examining the quarters that should appear to have two people living in it, but didn’t have very many signs of it other than the extra toothbrush in the bathroom. “Yeah…”

“So shouldn’t he be telling you what’s going on too?”

“I don’t want to pry too much that I end up pushing him away.”

He rested his head on his father’s shoulder. “I don’t know, I don’t have much experience with stuff like this, but I think you and him really need to talk.”

“...Yeah.”

“I love you, Dad. Sorry to bring that up…”

“Thanks Jesse, it means a lot you’re willing to put up with your father’s bullshit. Was there any reason you came to visit me?” he asked.

"Training's over today, one of the other recruits tried breaking my arm, and my chest is bothering me. I just came to lay down."

"Your own quarters isn't good enough?"

He smiled. "Naw. I missed you."

"Missed me or missed my 'feel better' cooking?" he joked.

His smiled widened. "Or both."

"I see through you, boy." Jack stood up, making his way toward the kitchen at his own pace.

His son took his spot, stretching out on the open couch with an exaggerated yawn.

"Don't say I never did anything for you!" He yelled from the kitchen, rummaging through the ingredients he currently had. Pondering for a few moments longer, he grabbed the ground beef, garlic, and onions.

He heard his son laugh in response.

He quickly got to work cooking the meat and preparing other ingredients, mixing seasonings into the beef before stirring it. It didn't take too much longer until the plate of food was finished. He brought it to Jesse, placing it on the small coffee table in front of him.

His son sat up and scooted over to give him a place to sit, smiling up at him. "Thanks, Papa."

He sat down, taking his own plate piling some food onto it. "You're welcome.”

Jesse turned the television back on, eating with him in silence.

Jack picked at the food, poking it with his fork. His stomach clenched when he brought a fork full to his mouth, forcing it down.

He felt his son’s eyes on him.

He sighed. “What is it, Jesse?”

There was a pause, then Jesse moved to sit against him. “You’re looking a little green.”

Jack shrugged. “My appetite hasn’t been much of a thing lately.”

“You doing okay, Dad?” Jesse asked.

“It’s all related, Jesse.”

“If you ever need to talk…”

“I know, Jesse, I know.”

He stayed pressed against Jack’s side, finishing the meal and setting the plate aside. “Let’s do something tonight.”

Jack placed his own plate on Jesse’s, food still scattered on the white porcelain. “Do what?”

“We could get ice cream, like we used to.”

Jack smiled. “We could. I could even get you to pick my flavour too.”

It made Jesse laugh. “Just like old times.”

“Are you ready to head out now?”

He got to his feet, offering Jack a hand up.

He took it, standing up. Grabbing the dishes, he took them to the kitchen before putting away any leftovers. The rest of the dishes were cleaned swiftly, put on the drying rack for when they got back.

"Maybe Gabe'll be done with his Strike-Commander stuff by the time we get back," Jesse said hopefully, waiting by the door.

“I hope so.”

Jesse set his hand on Jack’s shoulder and after giving it a squeeze, led him from the room.

Gabriel didn’t visit Jack’s quarters for the rest of the night.


	35. Chapter 35

From further down the aisle, Ana hummed. She half turned toward him, a slender finger against the bar. The corner of her mouth was raised. "What was it you're looking for again?"

"Lovebirds." It was going to be a surprise for his mothers, something for them for when they returned to the farm.

She smiled, turning her attention back to the birds in the cage that tweeted at her sweetly. "Ah, yes. Do you see any you think they'll like?"

Jack shook his head. The pair in front of him not quite meeting his requirements. "Not yet."

"Are you looking for a specific colour?" she asked, following him down the aisle, peering into the cages.

"Yeah, I want something that's a bit red and something that's a bit blue," he explained, eyes wandering the cages until his eyes settled on a pair. One was mostly black, with a ring of orange and red feathers around its neck and belly. The other had dark blue wings, lighter blue feathers on its stomach while it's head was mostly white with some black feathers. "Those two."

"Oh they're gorgeous," Ana cooed, going to their cage and looking in.

"Yeah," Jack said, a smile on his tired face. "Ma will love them, don't you think?"

"I believe she will. Go get a worker and we'll purchase them and the supplies they need."

It didn't take him long to find a worker on the floor. She was giving fresh water to the birds when Jack got her attention.

"Excuse me?"

She glanced at him, smile bright. "What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to purchase a pair of lovebirds."

"Got some in mind?" She picked up a thin cardboard box and started toward the birds.

He nodded. "Yeah, the red and blue one."

"Nice choice!" She stopped beside Ana, opening the cage and carefully drew the birds out to place them in the box.

"Should we... Really be keeping them in a box?" he asked, watching them hesitantly.

"They'll be alright. The box has holes, and it's meant to hold them. Have you picked out a cage?"

"Not yet. What do you suggest?"

Her expression brightened further, and she happily gave him her guidance, informing him on what he needed to help the bird thrive. By the time they stepped out of the store, he'd bought two birds, the best cage, toys, treats, and food the store offered.

"That's it. I'm not spending any money for a while."

Ana laughed. "You went slightly over the top, Jack."

He shrugged. "Only the best for my parents."

“You're sweet.”

"I... Wasn't always the best son, I need to make up for it somehow."

"I'm not sure a perfect son or daughter exists," she reminded. "I don't think you need to 'make up' for anything."

"I don't know..." He recalled time where he didn't contact either mother for ten years for such a stupid reason.

"When are you giving them the birds?" she asked when they chirped and shuffled in their box.

He smiled down at them, the chirping raising his spirits. "When they move back to the farm."

"How soon do they move?"

"I don't really know. When Ma finishes her treatments."

"Well, if you ever need help watching the birds..." She put the cage in the trunk of the car they'd borrowed.

He chuckled. "I'll let you know. I'm sure Fareeha will have a field day if she gets to babysit them."

She laughed and smiled. "Oh she will."

"If she ever wants to visit them while I have them, she's always welcome."

"She'll take you up on that. She'll practically move in if you let her." She slid into the driver's seat.

Jack slipped into the passenger side, buckling in before placing the box with the birds on his lap. "Unfortunately, I don't have enough room for that." He laughed.

"You have three living in your quarters, don't you?"

"Unofficially, yes."

“Unofficially?”

"Jesse comes and goes whenever he wants. Gabriel hasn't officially moved in. The only sign of it is his toothbrush," he explained, sticking a finger through one of the holes in the box. One of the birds nipped at it and he quickly withdrew.

"Have you asked him to move in?"

Jack sighed. "No, I haven't. I thought... If he wanted to he'd have asked by now."

"Unless he's worried you're not ready," she replied, glancing at him. "Rejection smarts, Jack, he might be afraid of getting another no."

He stared out the window, refusing to look at Ana. "He practically lives there already..."

"Ask him, Jack, I think you might feel better."

He nodded. "Yeah... Whenever I see him next."

She reached over and touched his hand. "You'll run into him more when he lives with you."

He squeezed the hand in his. "He's good at making himself scarce when he wants to."

"He has practice, he is trained for black ops. I think it'd be good for both of you."

“Okay…”

"Why do you seem so scared?"

"I'm not scared," he responded a bit too quickly for it to be believable.

She raised a brow at him.

“I'm just… worried.”

“Why?”

"He's acting different. I... haven't seen him in a while, it's not like him to avoid me." Jack picked at the fabric of his coat, not wanting to have this conversation.

"What happened?" She coaxed.

"His sister came for a visit."

She frowned. "Sister?"

"He has a sister, yeah." Jack stuck his finger into the box one more, gently stroking the head of one of the birds who cheeped softly.

"I had no idea."

"There's a lot of things he hasn't been telling us, apparently."

"Hiding things isn't healthy, especially at the scale he's attempting to keep secrets," she said, pulling into the base.

"Did you know he has a whole bunch of siblings?" he asked, frowning. "He has an ex who wants to get into contact with him too."

"I knew he'd dated before you, but nothing significant, and certainly no one who'd want to get back in contact..."

"I don't have a problem with him dating anyone before me. It would be hypocritical of me, wouldn't it?" Memories of the many people he had slept with flashed through his mind, including several failed relationships he had throughout high school. "His sister was making such a big deal about it..."

"Keep an eye on him, Jack. That's all I can suggest."

He nodded. "I'll try. I just don't know what to think of anything anymore."

She was quiet until they reached the base and she was helping him bring in the birds and their supplies. She watched him unlock the door and sighed to herself. "You two were doing so well..."

Jack nodded, feeling the sting of tears in his eyes. He brought his hand up to cover them.

She stepped forward, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Jack..."

He breathed in shakily, his hand moving to run through his hair, messing the blond strands that had started to lighten. "It's okay, I'm okay."

"I'm here for you, Jack. If you need me to teach him a lesson just let me know."

"Yeah. I know. Thank you, Ana. Really." He sighed, slowly starting to set up the cage to help take his mind off of everything. "It'll just blow over soon..."

"Yes," she said, and he knew she saying it for him.

It didn't take much longer for him to completely have the cage ready, clean and filled with things that the birds would enjoy. Once satisfied with how it turned out, he gently took the birds out of the box, placing them into their new home.

They settled in hesitantly, slowly exploring it.

He smiled, grateful for the distraction they made.

 

* * *

 

It was a dreary afternoon a week later that the door to his quarters slid open softly. The birds paused in their cheeping, lifting feathered heads to stare at the intruder who crossed to the kitchen almost soundlessly. Their noise picked up again when the man drew too close, fluttering about their cage anxiously.

Jack left his room, the noises the birds making not their usual ones. He came face to face with the intruder. Seeing who it was, Jack internally cursed how disheveled he appeared.

"Jack," Gabriel said quietly, glancing at the birds then back to him. "Nice birds."

"They're for Ma." He walked to the cage, sticking his finger in. The red one hopped closer to him on its perch, nuzzling the digit.

"She'll love them," he said, voice fond.

"I hope so. They're going to be a welcome home gift."

"How'd she take the news? I'm sure you've told her by now." Gabriel moved behind him, footsteps retreating to the table. He heard a chair scrape against the floor, then creak beneath Gabriel's weight.

A small smile graced his lips. "She was very excited, wanted to move back right away."

"I take it she's waiting until after the treatments, though. Make sure she's healthy."

"Exactly." He sat in front of Gabriel, folding his hands in front of him. "I... I haven't seen you in a while."

"I was off base for most of the week. Meetings and shit like that." He didn't quite meet Jack's eyes. "I should be around for the next couple of days. Just have paperwork to fill out. I thought I might be able to crash here."

"You're always welcome here, Gabriel." He tried to catch Gabriel's gaze. "It's," Jack hesitated, trying to figure out how to phrase his next sentence. "It's your home too."

It worked to make Gabriel's eyes snap to his.

He smiled. "Don't you think it's silly you keep moving between two separate quarters?"

The relief on Gabriel was instant, and the smile genuine. "Yeah, I guess you're right, Jack."

"I'm asking you to move in if you didn't notice," Jack said, chuckling nervously.

“I’d love to. Does… Jesse know?” 

He shrugged. "He practically thinks we live together anyway."

Gabriel's phone buzzed audibly, practically making the man jump before fishing it out of his pocket. He checked the screen and frowned, shoving it back into the pocket of his sweater. "I spend more time here than in my own quarters, so the kid's got a point. I don't have much stuff to move."

He ignored Gabriel taking out his phone, despite it being out of character for him to do while they were in each other's company. "It would just make everything easier."

"I can bring my stuff over tonight," he responded, setting his phone on the table screen side down when it buzzed again.

He nodded, still ignoring the buzzes. "That's perfect! You probably don't have too much to bring over now."

"It's all in boxes right now anyways. Has been for a while."

"You know, you could have asked too." Jack chuckled, resting his face on his hand.

His smile was light. "I didn't want to pressure you, and with things getting so busy lately..."

"You practically live here, there would have been no pressure. You even have your own toothbrush!"

"I gotta admit," he said with a laugh, "Not having to go back to my quarters for a change of clothes'll be nice."

"I'll just need to get some more dresser space for you, and maybe get rid of some of my stuff in the washroom."

Gabriel snorted. "All your hair and face products?"

He pouted. "I don't have that much.'

"You have more than one man would ever need."

Jack rolled his eyes. "So what, I like to look after my appearance."

"More than anyone else I know."

"You go looking at everyone else's bathroom supplies?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No one else looks as good as you."

He smiled softly, pink tinting his cheeks. "Thanks."

Gabriel reached across the table for his hand, even as the vibrating phone put a damper on the mood. He lifted the pale hand to his lips to kiss the back of it.  
He chuckled, the soft facial hair tickling his hand. "So you're my prince charming, huh?"

He snorted, smiling fondly. "I'm not a prince and I'm not charming. You're out'a luck, Jackass."

"I dunno, you're pretty charming to me."

"Then you've got a couple of loose screws," he said, eyes bright and warm. He leaned back in the chair, shaking his head.

He rolled his eyes, dropping the banter.

"I can move my stuff tonight, if you'll give me a hand. I can put off doing reports." Gabriel picked up the phone finally, unlocking the screen. "I'm going to head back to my quarters, get things ready."

"Do you need help bringing anything over?" he asked

"Just give me half an hour, alright?" He responded, getting back to his feet.

"Are you... Are you sure?" he asked again, hands clenching into his pant legs.

Gabriel nodded, heading toward the door.

"... Alright." He stood up, watching him leave before moving back to the birds. Why wouldn't Gabriel want him to help him move? He didn't understand, he also wasn't sure if he wanted to understand.

The birds fluttered to the front of the cage to greet him, chirping.

"I don't know what to think." The birds wouldn't judge him or anyone else for his fears. It was comforting.

Half an hour later, his phone went off.

Confused, he picked it up. "Morrison."

" _ Jack, I'm sorry, something came up. Do you want to meet me in my quarters in five minutes? I've got my stuff ready." _ Gabriel sounded almost frazzled.

Jack frowned, worried. "Is everything okay?" Gabriel was one of the more composed people in his life, it was strange that something was so visibly bothering him.

" _ Yeah, it is now. Look, I'll explain after we finish moving my shit, alright? I don't want to do it over the phone. _ "

His heart dropped. "Okay, I'll be right over..."

" _ I love you, sunshine. I really do. _ "

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest at the words. "I love you too, Gabe."

Gabriel hung up after saying a quick goodbye.

Jack immediately collapsed into the couch, taking several deep breaths before making any attempt to compose himself. His hands shook as he locked the door to his quarters. He didn't know what to expect when he came face to face with Gabriel. He was acting so off.

He felt like he couldn't breathe by the time he'd reached Gabriel's quarters. He found the door open slightly, and he could hear movement inside.

"Gabriel?" he asked hesitantly, knocking at the door. The force of his knuckles against it opened it up further.

"Come in," he called, stepping into view, a box balanced on his hip. His quarters had been stripped down to nothing since Jack had seen them last, a few boxes stacked near the door.

"You had that done... surprisingly quickly," Jack commented.

He smiled self consciously. "Anything I didn't use daily was already packed, has been for a while."

"And you didn't bring up the whole moving in thing sooner?" he joked, moving over to stand beside Gabriel, gently nudging him with his hip.

"Didn't really cross my mind. Last thing I want to do is move too fast on you."

He chuckled. "I don't think it's moving too fast when you've basically been sleeping in my bed for the past while."

Gabriel smiled, setting the box down on the pile.

"No offense," Jack started, leaning against the wall. "But none of this will fit in my quarters."

He laughed. "I'll get rid of most of it, don't worry. The rest'll fit. It's not as bad as it looks."

"I hope by ’get rid of’ you mean 'put in storage'."

Gabriel shrugged.

Jack shrugged, crossing his arms. "What if something happens? If worse comes to worse, I don't want you to have nothing."

"Nothing'll happen, and half the stuff's not important anyways. It can be replaced."

"Well, if you want to spend all that money on Ikea furniture if something happens," he joked. "Why did you need me here?"

"I wanted your company." He picked up the boxes.

Jack thought back on how he sounded over the phone. He normally didn't sound like that when he just wanted his company.

"You coming?"

"What type of host would I be if I wasn't there to help you move in?"

Gabriel smiled and started back toward Jack's quarters, a step ahead of the blond.

They walked in silence, Jack's thoughts drifted to what Gabriel had said on the phone. "There was... Something you wanted to explain to me?"

"I... got a message from my ex-girlfriend, saying she wanted to talk to me," he started hesitantly, watching Jack's expression. "I'm arranging for her to visit. You can be there, in case you're worried something'll happen."

His heart stuttered. "But why would she want to talk to you now of all times?"

"That's... That's the thing, Jack, apparently she's been trying to get a hold of me for a while, I just... never made it easy for her." He shifted the boxes uncomfortably, unable to meet his eyes. "She wants me to meet my daughter."

His breath caught in his throat, immediately he paused. It felt as if his shoes were lead. "Daughter?" Gabriel had... a daughter?

"I didn't know," Gabriel whispered, turning to face him. "I honestly had no idea, last I heard she was... going to be getting an abortion, but I didn't stick around to find out, I'd already enlisted by then and... Jack... Jack, I never meant for this to happen..."

It felt like the world was swimming around him. "I - I need to sit down."

Setting the boxes aside, Gabriel coaxed him into sitting on the ground with his back to the wall, his boyfriend kneeling in front of him.

He took a moment to breath, head resting in his hands, knees pulled close to his chest. Somewhere at the back of his mind he was confused. Why was he acting like this? It wasn't an awful confession, Gabriel could have told him something worse. There were many things worse than this.

But it was still too much. 

Gabriel's hands were warm where they rested on his knees.

"I'm sorry. You don't need me freaking out on you..."

"Are you okay?" Gabriel asked, waving off the apology.

"Yeah, yeah. I just." He paused. "I don't know."

"This doesn't change anything. I'll meet with Sophia, see this daughter, and that's it. You don't have to meet them."

He took a moment to gather his thoughts. He would probably regret not meeting either of them, not knowing would kill him. And if Ana found out Gabriel met with his ex? Jack was sure there would be a murder case on his hands.

It would be better if he was actually there in case she were to ask questions.

"I'd.... like to go with you."

"They're coming sometime next week, and you've got nothing to be afraid of. I love you, Jack."

He nodded. "I know, I know. I just..." He shrugged.

"You just...?" Gabriel pressed.

"It's stupid." He looked away.

"You can tell me," he insisted, smiling to try to reassure him.

"You're my first proper relationship. I guess I just... didn't expect there to be someone like that for you sooner," he managed to say. His cheeks tinged pink in embarrassment. It was such a stupid reason to be so upset.

Gabriel touched his cheek. "It's only been you and her who've really mattered. And the last time I saw her, I was 19. I don't know how much she counts."

"All relationships count in some way."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Are you ready to go back to your room?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry for making a big deal out of it."

"You've got nothing to apologize for, Jack."

Jack bit his tongue with a nod, forcing back the direction he tried so hard to keep his mind from going.

His hand was gently taken and he was helped back to his feet.

"Thanks, let's get you settled."

They gathered the boxes, bringing them back to Jack's quarters and setting them in a corner to be dealt with later before Gabriel was pulling Jack to their bed to sit under the covers, tucking the blond against his chest.

Jack wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, pulling him close enough he could hear Gabriel's heart beat.

"Hey, can I show you something?"

"What?" he asked, voice muffled into the fabric of Gabriel's shirt.

A cell phone was put into his hand.

Confused, Jack pulled away, looking at the screen. Open on it was a text conversation between Gabriel and who Jack assumed was his ex girlfriend. He looked up to Gabriel before returning his gaze to the phone, reading over the conversation.

Majority of it was simply figuring out details as to how she'd be visiting.

It started with her, a long text asking how he was doing and where he'd gone after they'd separated. Another followed a few hours later, asking if she'd gotten the right number.

Gabriel's response was short, but enough to get her eagerly texting him. 

**[Received 8:24pm] Sophia: How are you?**

**[Received 9:02pm] Sophia: Are you still in the army?**

**[Received 10:13pm] Sophia: I want to see you.**

Jack glanced up at Gabriel, carefully examining his expression as he read through the messages. It was an immense sign of trust that he was willing to do this for him, and Jack appreciated it.

Gabriel met his eyes, smiling weakly. 

The next text was one of Gabriel's, a simple 'I can't.'

Curious, Jack scrolled downward, reading more of the conversation.

**[Received 12:11am] Sophia: Why not?**

**[Sent 12:14am] Reyes: I’m seeing someone.**

**[Received 12:16am] Sophia: Oh. It’s important, I have someone you need to meet.**

**[Sent 12:16am] Reyes: Who?**

**[Received 12:17am] Sophia: Your daughter.**

Jack's breathed in shakily at the words. It still felt like a punch in the gut.

Gabriel's hand rested on his leg.

"Where will you be meeting?"

"She'll be staying at a hotel a city or two away, I'm visiting her."

"We... Can make a dinner out of it?"

"You continue to surprise me, Sunshine. I'll let her know to expect two."

Jack snorted into his shirt. "I surprise you for being a decent person?"

Gabriel made a noise of surprise, a half aborted word.

He chuckled. "Calm down, Gabe, I'm joking."

He was held tighter, a hand running through his hair. "I think you'd like her, Jack. She reminds me of you."

Jack poked him on the rib. "That's not something you say about your ex to your current boyfriend," he said teasingly.

Gabriel wriggled under him to get away from the jab, pinching at his hip. "Just being honest here, kid. But you've got nothing to worry about after me and her being separate for like... twenty years."

He shrugged. "But you're meeting the daughter you two had."

"And? I've moved on, and a daughter's not changing anything."

Jack nodded. "Okay."

"I still can't believe my daughter exists..." he said, eyes closing. He tightened his hold on Jack, one broad hand resting on the small of his back.

Jack tried his best to wrap his arms around Gabriel, not as successful as he wanted to be. "What was your first thought when you found out?"

"That she was lying to get back at me."

"Get back at you for what?"

"Leaving her."

"That's... Definitely a hard ruse to keep up if she was lying. Why wait 20 years to contact you again?"

"I disappeared on her without leaving her any way of contacting me. My own family couldn't get ahold of me."

Jack frowned, tucking his head into the space between Gabriel's armpit and arm. "Did you... know she was pregnant when you left?"

There was a long moment of silence. "Yeah."

He didn't respond. He couldn't. What could he say to that?

"That... was the problem," Gabriel continued slowly, picking at the sheets. "Theresa found out and told our parents. There was a lot of talk about an abortion, I didn't think..."

"Ah..." He wanted to say 'so you ran away', but he didn't. He didn't want to make it sound like he was blaming Gabriel for anything.

"It got complicated. I regret it, but I didn't have a choice..."

"Alright." He dropped the topic, enjoying the warmth from Gabriel's body, despite the man's racing heartbeat keeping him from truly being comfortable and at ease.

"I don't want to see them," Gabriel admitted.

"No?"

"I don't want to reopen this, I left all that behind. And yet here they are, forcing me to deal with it."

"No one's really forcing you to deal with it. You can say no to that part of your life. Back out if you want to," he said.

"I can't now, can I?" He turned his head to press a kiss to Jack's hair. "They're already on their way."

Jack sat up, startled. "Already?!"

It made his boyfriend wince. "Yeah."

"When are you meeting up with her?"

"Two days from now, sometime after lunch."

"That's so close..."

"I... planned on meeting them alone the once and leaving it at that. I wasn't going to make it a big deal."

"It's fine if it ends up being a big deal. You're meeting your daughter, Gabe. For the first time, too." Jack placed his hand on Gabriel's cheek, gently turning his head to face him.

He pressed a brief kiss to his boyfriend's nose.

The man sighed softly, hands settling on his hips and meeting his eyes. Something in Gabriel's seemed sad, distant. But before he could ask he was pulled into a proper kiss.  
A muffled squeak escaped from Jack before he returned it. It was soft and sweet, no rush for it to go anywhere.

They settled back together, laying on the covers of the bed, Jack tucked safely in Gabriel's arms.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I've been getting quite scatter brained so I've been forgetting to upload D:


	36. Chapter 36

It was surreal to see Gabriel be the one to nervously check his appearance several times before they left, hands tucked firmly in the pockets of his pants to keep from wiping the palms against his legs again, continually checking the time and being all around jittery. By the time they reached the hotel room, Gabriel was verbally debating turning around and going home.

Jack placed a hand on his lower back in reassurance, shooting him a small smile.

"I don't want to do this," Gabriel said yet again on a sigh, even as he knocked on the door.

"You committed yourself to this, Gabriel. There's no backing out now." He moved his hand to Gabriel's upper back, rubbing circles into it. His heart raced as they waited for the door to be answered.

The woman that opened the door was not what Jack expected. She was tall, fair skinned with light brown hair cut short at her jaw and soft features. She was almost the opposite of the two men standing in the hall. Her hazel eyes flicked up to Gabriel's in surprise, before she smiled at them both. "Gabriel. And... Jack, right?"

Jack smiled, not quite his smile for when he was at public functions, but close enough. He thrust out his hand. "Yeah, I'm Jack. It's nice to meet you.

She took it, her smile only growing wider and more genuine. "Sophia. I'm happy to see you both made it. Please, come in."

Gabriel stepped in first, accepting a hug from her before reaching for Jack's hand.

He took it, giving it a gentle squeeze as he allowed himself to be lead by his boyfriend. 

Sophia seemed to have managed to make the hotel room quite homey as she offered them seats at the small table in the living room area. Four seats were placed   around it, as well as some simple snacks. Jack immediately sat down, hand darting to the pretzels.

"How are you?" She asked, sitting across from them. Gabriel settled beside him, not letting go of his hand.

Jack shrugged. "I'm fine."

"Theresa's around," Gabriel said. "She's been trying to make my life hell lately, getting involved where she shouldn't."

"Some things never change," she mused, smiling to herself. "Have you met her, Jack? Gabriel's sister?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I've briefly met her. Haven't really gotten to know her though." he commented. He felt so awkward, almost like he was intruding.

"She's something, isn't she? The best of the best at school and barely tolerable at home. Does she hate you as much as she hates me?"

He shrugged. "I don't know actually."

"She still hates me for daring to go near Gabriel."

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yes. Even when he and I were just friends she went out of her way to point out at every opportunity that she could make my life miserable and she'd enjoy it."

Jack hummed, tapping his fingers on the table. "I'm glad she hasn't done that to me. Yet."

"If I get my way it'll never happen, I plan to keep her as far away from you as I can," Gabriel put in.

He nodded. "Alright. Either way I think I would be able to handle myself."

"You could," Gabriel and Sophia said in the same breath. They glanced at each other, and Gabriel's eyes darted to Jack while she simply rolled her eyes fondly.

"Tell me about yourself, Jack," she said.

"Umm..." Jack started, not knowing how to answer. What was there to tell about himself that she didn't already know from the media. "I don't know where to start."

"What's your family like?" she prompted gently.

"They're good. My moms own a farm, although right now they're currently staying near the Watchpoint."

"They own a farm?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it's a family farm."

She smiled. "That's awesome."

"It was a lot of fun growing up."

"Is it just you and your mothers?"

"I have a son."

Her expression lit up. "Really? How old? And what's his name?"

"His name's Jesse and he's seventeen," he answered, smiling fondly.

"What's he like?" she pressed, her tone soft and smile sweet. She leaned forward slightly in eager interest.

Jack hummed, trying to think of the best way to describe his son that didn't give away he was part of a black ops devision. "He's a smart kid, who has a too big heart. He also has a thing for cowboys."

"He sounds sweet, Jack."

"He is."

"Did you adopt him?" she asked.

"I did, why?" he asked, curious as to why she would jump to that conclusion.

"It just seems like you two have been together for a while," she said, trailing off and shrugging.

"Oh. I... actually adopted Jesse before Gabriel and I got together."

Her eyes widened in surprise before turning to Gabriel. "Looks like you jumped into the relationship that already had a child."

"Sophie," Gabriel started, tone low and apologetic. She cut him off.

“I'm joking. I know what happened wasn't your fault. I'm happy for you two, you deserve to be happy."

Gabriel pulled Jack closer.

Jack rested his head on Gabriel's shoulder, taking a moment to close his eyes. "The entire circumstance of us getting together... could have been better," he admitted. 

"We danced around it for years, never believing the other wanted it. We kept pushing each other away," Gabriel said, rubbing small circles into Jack's shoulder. 

"Well... you're together now, and that's what matters. You make a cute couple."

"Thank you." Jack shot her a small smile. He wasn't quite comfortable showing his affection for Gabriel in front of her, not knowing if it hurt her to see it or not. He knew if he was in her shoes, he would feel a bit envious.

Her expression stayed welcoming, brightening up at the  sound of small feet rushing toward them from the other room.

Startled, Jack turned to see who was speeding toward them.

It was a boy, barely older than three or four, arms outstretched, toothy grin wide, blue eyes crinkling as soft, dark curls bounced with every step. He ran to Sophia who scooped him up eagerly with a soft grin of her own.

"Raphael, you rascal!"

The boy giggled loudly as fingers danced over his stomach, squirming for escape.

"Who's this?" Jack asked, eyes lighting up as soon as he saw the small child.

"He's mine," a new voice called, young and bright.

"He's adorable," Jack commented, looking at the newcomer.

The woman looked a lot like Gabriel. They shared the same eyes, dark and sharp and deep, though her features were softer and her skin lighter. Dark and curly hair fell to her shoulders, framing a strong jaw. She smiled at them both, one hand atop the curve of a pregnant belly. 

"Thank you. I'm quite proud of him."

Jack chuckled. "Yeah?"

"You can hold him, if you'd like," she said, crossing to Sophie's side, lifting the child into her arms.

"Jack, Gabriel, this is Mikayla," Sophie told them, her eyes on Gabriel who had gone stiff and silent beside Jack.

He smiled. "I'm Jack, if you couldn't tell." He waved at Raphael, wanting to make sure the child was comfortable with him and would go to him.

The boy shot him a grin, expression one of joy at being the centre of attention.

"You get to meet your Grandpa today," Jack said to him, playfully nudging Gabriel's shoulder.

His boyfriend took a sharp breath, fingers digging into Jack's arm.

His smile disappeared in a flash as he realised what was happening. "Gabe?" he gently asked, turning to face him. He wrapped his hand around Gabriel's, gently prying the fingers from his own arm. "Breathe with me, okay?"

A moment later Gabriel's eyes slid to his and came back into focus, and the man took a shaky breath. "I'm fine."

"No... you're not fine, Gabriel. Do you need a moment?"

Though he looked like he wanted nothing more than to argue, he gave a short nod and got to his feet.

"Do you need me there with you?" he asked, giving his hand a squeeze.

He glanced at Sophia, at Mikayla and Raphael, then back to him. He nodded.

Jack gave him a quick nod. "Sorry, we'll be back in a bit."

"Take your time," Sophia said knowingly, pulling her daughter into a conversation. Raphael peeked out at them.

"Bye bye." He waved to Raphael before leaving the suite.

Gabriel trailed behind him.

"Do you want to sit down?"

"I need a smoke," he groaned quietly.

Jack frowned, a hand resting at the base of Gabriel's neck, stroking gently at the short hair. "No smoking."

It made him wince faintly, rubbing his palms against his jeans.

"Here." Jack offered his hand.

There was no hesitation, their fingers twining.

"How many scars do you think we both have on our hands?" he asked, thumb stroking against an old nick in Gabriel's palm.

"Scars?" he repeated, raising a brow. He didn't quite meet Jack's eyes.

"Yeah. From the training, fighting, accidents. We've got quite a collection, don't you think?" He pulled their joined hands out in front of them.

"I lost count of how many I have..."

"Doesn't hurt to try to count them again, huh? We can do it together."

A faint smile started to appear on Gabriel who extracted a hand to touch Jack's face. "You've got none here, thank God."

He chuckled. "Not now, no. What will you do if I get huge scars on my face? I know you're only with me for my good looks," he joked.

"I guess I could learn to love you for something else." Gabriel's eyes were soft, thumb still brushing lightly over Jack's cheekbone.

Pink tinted Jack's cheeks, his face heating up with the gentle touch. "Yeah?"

"Something like the way you smile."

"Yeah?" Jack breathed out, leaning forward.

He was brought into a kiss.

Jack closed his eyes, their lips meeting.

He could feel whatever tension was left in Gabriel's shoulders slip away.

"Are you feeling better?"

"I still want to smoke, but yeah. I'll live."

"I won't let you go smoke, but I'll give you some gum?" Jack offered.

His boyfriend sighed but nodded, shoving his hands into this pockets.

Jack pulled out a packet from inside his pocket, sliding a piece of peppermint gum into Gabriel's hands. "A distraction that won't make you smell bad."

He rolled his eyes fondly and unwrapped it before putting it in his mouth, nose crinkling at the taste. "I guess you've got a point."

"Peppermint is a far superior smell."

"I don't smoke because it smells good," he agreed, taking Jack's hand back.

Jack rolled his eyes. "No one would smoke if that's the reason for it."

"Does it bother you?"

"The smell?"

Gabriel shook his head. "You know what I mean, Jack."

He sighed. "It doesn't necessarily bother me. I just.... I'm not very fond of it."

Gabriel nodded and motioned back toward the room. "We should go."

"Yeah. Don't want to keep them waiting too long, huh?"

His tone turned slightly bitter. "I've only kept Mikayla waiting for 24 years. You thought you were bad at this shit, Jack? I've got you beat."

Jack chuckled, smacking Gabriel gently on the arm. "To be fair you didn't know she existed."

He squeezed his hand and guided him back to the room.

"Sorry about that," Jack apologised, returning to his seat.

"Everything okay?" Mikayla asked, glancing between them curiously.

He nodded. "Everything's fine. Gabriel just needed a breather."

"I get, it's a lot all at once right? We can have coffee later or something," she suggested, bouncing her son on her knee. "I might stick around for awhile, I know Mom's heading back by the end of the month."

"No, it's fine," Gabriel put in only to stop when Sophia spoke up.

"I have a better idea. You three were supposed to meet and we planned to go to dinner, why don't you go without me? I don't mind staying here, and before you say anything

Gabe I'm offering because I want you to do this. Go have fun, okay?"

Gabriel sighed but nodded, getting to his feet and encouraging Jack to do the same.

He nodded, following Gabriel's lead.

"Hey, Jack?" Mikayla called, joining them after getting shoes on Raphael and a jacket for herself.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning around to face her.

She grinned at him. "Wanna hold Raph while I put on my coat?"

He smiled. "I'd love to!"

As soon as she was close enough to him, Raphael immediately reached out for Jack with soft giggles. He wrapped his arms carefully around the young boy, pulling him up. He  turned to Gabriel. "Look!"

His boyfriend smiled at him fondly. "You've missed kids, haven't you?"

"Yeah." He adjusted his hold on Raphael, the boy resting comfortably in his arms.

"He likes you," Mikayla said warmly. "He's being cute for you."

Jack chuckled. "Are you being cute for me?" he asked the young boy, ruffling the dark hair on his head.

Raphael peeked up at him with an innocent smile, dark eyes wide.

He burst out laughing. "Are you giving me this look just so you can get candy?"

The boy bobbed his head with a wide grin.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm going to be the cool grandpa, so I'll buy you some candy on our way back, okay?" He stage whispered.

The child's eyes widened in delight.

"Just eat all your lunch and vegetables, okay?"

"Uh huh!"

"Good boy!"

"You're a natural," Mikayla praised.

"Thank you. This isn't my first rodeo," he joked.

"He's got a son a few years younger than you, Mikayla," Gabriel said, guiding them toward the restaurant nearby.

"I... Never got to see him as a baby though."

"How old was he?"

"When I adopted him?"

She nodded, smiling.

"Seven."

"Aw, that's so sweet! Do you have any pictures? And how come you didn't bring him with you guys?"

He nodded, taking out his phone to flip through the gallery. "He's busy right now with... Work." He finally found a picture, it was when he and Jesse had gone out for ice cream not too long ago. He looked tired in the photo, dark circles under his eyes, face a bit thinner. Jesse though, had a large grin on his face, the ice cream piled high on the cone almost the size of his head.

She leaned to look over his shoulder with a soft smile. "He's cute."

"That he is!"

A moment later the phone was pulled from his grip by little hands.

He startled, reaching to get the phone back before he realised who had gotten ahold of it. Raphael pawed at the touch screen, the pictures changing at his touch. Jack watched over the child's shoulder as he enjoyed each photo until Gabriel reached over and pulled the phone from Raphael's hands, startling the child into tears.

"Gabe, why'd you do that for?" he asked, before turning back to the young boy, shushing him.

"Think about the content of your camera roll," he said, pocketing Jack's phone while Mikayla snorted behind them.  
Jack flushed. "Okay, good thing you took it then."

"You two make such a good couple," Mikayla hummed. "So when do I get to meet my brother?"

"Probably when he's off work next. His schedule is... a lot more strict than mine is," he explained.

"Soon?"

"Maybe."

"Are you okay with all this?" she asked him more seriously, tone dropping as she took her son back gently to help settle him. She paused as Gabriel opened the door for the restaurant and let Jack go inside first.

"I am. It's just... very overwhelming, you know?" They walked inside, swiftly being shown to a booth near the window. A high chair was placed on the seat for Raphael, as well as  a children's menu with a cup of crayons. "Are you okay with this?"   


"With you? Oh yeah. I like to keep an open mind." She slid in across from them, hand atop her belly. "I've heard stories about my dad but until know never met him. So to meet him and find out he's got an awesome family of his own? I'm happy. It ties up some loose ends in my head. So long as you guys are happy, that's all that counts, right? And if you guys get married I want to be there, I hope you realize. I don't want to drop off the face of the Earth again, and I hope you don't either."

Jack chuckled. "Well, I'd need your address or phone number for a potential wedding invite then."

She grinned and held out her hand, winking when Gabriel gave her his phone. She tapped in her number happily. "My address might be changing, but here's my number."

"Oh yeah? Where are you moving?"

"This city seems nice," she teased.

"It is lovely."

"And close to you both, even if I can't know where your fancy base is."

"Don't you want to stay close to your mother?" he asked, glancing over the menu.

"She's got a boyfriend at home and her sister's around a lot. She's fine."

"You don't think she'd still want her daughter around?"

"I never said that," she pointed out, flicking through the menu. She smiled when a crayon bounced across the table. "I only said she's got other people to keep her company."  
Jack caught the crayon, returning it to the plastic cup.

"Don't you have a boyfriend of your own?" Gabriel asked, gesturing to her appearance. It made her roll her eyes fondly.

"I did. But he was an absentee father most of the time with Raph and I got sick of it when he told me having this one was a bad idea. Kicked him to the curb and he's been texting me since trying to convince me to take him back. You couldn't even pay me to."

"Sounds like he doesn't deserve you, then," Jack responded. He couldn't imagine ever dating someone like that.

"He didn't. I don't want him near Raph, so moving here wouldn't be too bad an idea." She reached out to play with a few of Raphael's curls with a sad sort of smile. "Growing up without a father isn't easy."

Gabriel winced. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Mom told me some of the stuff you went through, I get it. I just used to dream when I was a kid that you'd come back and we'd be a family, but Mom always said it wasn't likely. You'd freed yourself, why would you go back to what you escaped from in the first place? Mom and I were a sacrifice you'd just had to make. I can sorta see now why you wouldn't leave this behind." She met Jack's eyes. "You found a new home, Dad, and that's okay too. I'm happy for you."

"Still, I-"

She shook her head, glancing back at her father. "I stopped hating you for leaving years ago. Don't focus on it." 

She reached across the table for her father's hand and brought it to Jack's which she turned so it was palm up and placed them together.

Jack wrapped his fingers around Gabriel's, squeezing gently. "That's very wise of you, Mikayla."

"I'd like to think I'm mature," she joked. "I do want to meet this boy of yours, Jack, I'm serious."

He rolled his eyes. "I know, you've already said several times."

She grinned. "You're going to get sick of me, aren't you?"

"I'll talk to his boss about time off," Gabriel said, shaking his head. "For now why don't you tell us something."

One eyebrow rose. "Me?"

"You've been interrogating the two of us, it's time to return the favour."

She glanced between them and sighed, smiling faintly. "Go ahead, I'll answer just about anything."

"What do you do?"

"I just graduated from university, and I was working for a family friend who owns a restaurant."

"What did you take in university?"

"Creative writing and journalism. Not the most useful degree but it was something and I enjoyed the courses."

"As long as you enjoy it, although I don't think I can say much. I never went to university."

"Went straight into the military, I take it?" she asked, no judgement in her tone.

"Yeah. It's all I've ever known," he said, waving over a waitress.

"I couldn't imagine going straight into the military after high school, that's incredible. I've heard a lot about the omnic crisis too and what you guys did for the world."  
Jack hummed, feeling awkward. He could never deal with hero worship.  
"You realize most things the media says is-"

"Fake or over exaggerated? Absolutely. Stories sell, not truth. I take what I hear with a grain of salt, trust me. I know how it is."

"There's a lot of propaganda out there. I'd know, I've delivered a good deal of it." Jack looked out the window, a frown on his face.

"It's always painted like such a pretty picture, heroes out valiantly fighting an irredeemable foe where the dead become numbers and the living are forgotten. There's a lot more than just your life at risk, I'm sure. That's why I think what you guys do is incredible. You've both got families and loved ones that you want to protect, to the point you'd give up everything for them. I don't have the stomach for the fighting or the goodbyes."

"Fighting is all I've done. At this point I don't know if I could do anything else. I guess I could be a politician," Jack commented, resting his head in his hand.

"You'd make a better one than I ever could," Gabriel said, voice light to try to soften the mood.

"How did we get into this mess?"

His boyfriend sighed and shook his head, letting the table lapse into silence until there was a scrape of a plate on the wooden tray of a high chair and Mikayla gasped, reaching out a half second too late. Raphael's plate was sent tipping and it bounced off the edge of the table straight onto Jack.

Heat warmed his lap uncomfortably, immediately he grabbed the white napkins on the table to wipe off the sauce and pasta as quickly as he could before excusing himself.

He could hear Mikayla's panicked apologies and fussing even as Gabriel assured her it was fine, slipping away to follow Jack. He caught up just as the blond had stepped into the men's room.

He sighed, wetting the brown paper towels and gently dabbing them on his - thankfully - dark pants.

"Let me give you a hand," Gabriel said softly, moving to his side and taking the towels from him gently.

"Thank you." He let Gabriel continue with the cleaning, Jack handing him clean paper towel when the the one in his hands became saturated with sauce.

"We can leave, Sunshine, I know this's been a lot for both of us. I should've come on my own and introduced them to you later." The used wads were tossed in the garbage with a heavy sigh. "I've gotten as much off as I can, it's not as noticeable."

"Thank you." Jack pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I'm fine for the rest of the meal, then we can head back?"

"If you're sure."

"I'm sure. It's nothing I can't handle."

"We can do something to relax after this, I think we need it," he said, moving to the door and pushing it open, motioning for Jack to go first.

"Mmhmm," Jack agreed, leaning his head against Gabriel's shoulder for a moment before returning to their table.

Mikayla was on her feet, her jacket back in place on her shoulders, talking to her son halfway under her breath as she cleaned his hands from the mess and made an attempt at doing the same with the table before lifting her son to her hip. She threw a handful of bills onto the table, turning and almost running into the soldiers with a wet gasp that caught in her throat. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. "O-oh, I'm sorry..."

Jack gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Is everything okay?"

She didn't meet his eyes. "Pregnancy hormones," she tried weakly to joke, forcing a smile. "I should go, I've done enough damage already." 

She pulled her shoulder back, holding Raphael closer and trying to step past them until Gabriel caught her arm. She winced slightly, a tear starting down her cheek.

"You haven't done any damage, Mikayla. I'm afraid I haven't exactly been one hundred per cent lately. We're all on edge."

She glanced between them, adjusting her grip on Raphael with a faint wince, her free hand settling on her stomach. "I'll keep in touch, alright? Maybe we can try again another time or something... I don't know, I just... I should get going."

Jack frowned, but let her go.

She ducked her head and fled. 

Beside him, Gabriel's shoulders drooped. "Well, Jack, at least it looks like she won't have to meet Jesse after all."

He turned to Gabriel. "You're going to give up? Just like that?"

His boyfriend scowled, bristling at the harsh edge to his voice. "What do you want me to do, Jack? I don't know how to talk to her, I just fucking met her. She seems to be doing a good enough job without me interfering. I'm sorry I don't have the same skill set as you, being a father doesn't come naturally to me like it does for you. How am I supposed to relate to a girl that shouldn't even exist?/"

Jack placed his hand on Gabriel's lower back, ushering him to the exit so as to not cause a distraction. "Parenthood doesn't come naturally to anyone, Gabriel. She's clearly open to having you in her life, if she didn't she wouldn't have agreed to this. Just, maybe give her a chance? You've barely had a proper conversation with each other."

He jerked away from the touch but some of the tension left his shoulders, though the deep frown stayed in place. He shoved his fists deep into his pockets. "I never asked for this."

He sighed. "No, you didn't. I can't imagine finding out I have a child. Let alone one that’s fully grown."

"One that I was told in no uncertain circumstances was getting aborted. That's what I've thought happened  _ since I was nineteen _ . God fucking damn it." He kicked at a rock on the sidewalk, watching it bounce a good distance before it tumbled out into the road and down a drain.

"I can't imagine how you must feel..."

"Like absolute shit," he said flatly. "Fuck... I hate everything."

Jack placed a hand against Gabriel's cheek, turning his head to face him. "I'm here as long as you need me to be, okay? You don't have to be alone to work through this." He pressed his forehead against his boyfriend's.

Gabriel's breath was hot across his lips as dark eyes slid closed and a hand settled on his waist.

"I'm here, okay?"

"I know, Sunshine."

"Don't forget that you're here also, okay? Don't get too lost up in that head of yours." Jack pulled him close into a hug, resting his chin on Gabriel's shoulder.

The grip on his waist tightened and Gabriel laughed bitterly. "I'll try."

"That's all I ask."

Gabriel let go, motioning for them to keep walking. "We should get back to the base, I've got paperwork."

"Alright..."

He offered him a hand.

Jack took it, letting Gabriel take the lead.   
  
They returned to the base in silence, heading straight for their quarters. As soon as they were inside Gabriel moved to the bedroom, changing into something more comfortable and claiming a seat on the couch.

Jack poured both him and Gabriel a glass of water, placing them on the coffee table before  curling up beside him.

"It's nice to be home," he mumbled, picking up a tablet that had been abandoned on the coffee table earlier, starting to flick through forms that needed to be filled out.

Frowning, Jack put the tablet back to sleep. "None of that, it's time to relax."

"It needs to get done, Jack."

"It can get done tomorrow. You have people you can get to do it instead that have the power. Like Ana." He took the blanket that rested on the back of the couch, draping it over their shoulders.

He sighed and relented, setting the tablet back down and pulling Jack closer.

"That's better." Jack smiled, pecking Gabriel on the cheek.

The man hummed in response, hand settling on his boyfriend's hip.

Jack chuckled. "There are better things you could be doing instead."  
He pulled Gabriel into a kiss, hands cupping his face. He shifted, straddling his boyfriend's hips.

A hand moved his shoulder, and after they'd broken the kiss Gabriel smiled halfheartedly. "Sorry, Sunshine... Can we do this later?"

Jack's shoulders dropped as he pulled away. "Yeah, okay. Sorry... I just - okay." He returned to his spot beside Gabriel. Picking up his glass of water, he took a sip, avoiding looking at Gabriel.

There was a sigh before hands were gently turning his head and a kiss was pressed to his forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too," he responded. With a gentle squeeze to Gabriel's hand, he turned back to face him, a hesitant smile on his face.

"Can we just... rest for a while?" Gabriel asked hesitantly.

"Yeah... We can do that."

After a moment Gabriel sighed and got to his feet. "I'm going to lay down. Jesse's probably done training by now, and as far as I know Ana's on base. Go spend time with one of them."

Jack deflated, slumping into the couch. "Okay. Take it easy, alright?"

He nodded, going into the bedroom and closing the door behind him.

Jack gasped in a shuddering breath, moving to grab his phone to send Ana a quick text, letting her know he was heading over. He fucked up. He misread the entire situation and fucked everything up.

Her response was almost immediate, and he dragged himself to her quarters.

He barely even knocked on the door when it opened.

"What's wrong, Jack?" Ana asked by way of greeting, guiding him in and to the couch.

"I fucked up," he breathed out in between shaky breaths.

"What do you mean?" She settled beside him.

"I misread the situation, now he's mad."

"Who, Gabriel? What did you misread?"

He sighed, eyes stinging with tears that threatened to fall. "Earlier when we were out... I don't know I thought he wanted to have sex. So we got back, and I initiated. He pushed me away and then went to the room."

She hummed. "I've done the same thing with him."

"The same thing?" He turned to face her.

"He and I broke up because we wanted different things, Jack. I wanted someone to blow off steam with, he wanted a committed relationship. So more than once I tried to get him to sleep with me when he wasn't ready and learned the hard way that his sex drive's much lower than mine. It happens."

"I know. It's just... I feel pushed away."

"He doesn't mean to. He loves you too much to want to push you away."

He sighed. "It just doesn't feel nice."

"No, and it won't, but you can work past it."

"I don't know how to, Ana," he admitted. "He's been distant."

"All I can suggest is forcing him to talk to you about what's going on."

He sighed. "It's like pulling teeth."

"I can speak to him, if you'd like," she offered, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees.

"Don't beat him up, he's dealing with personal stuff right now."

"Not even a little?" she asked playfully.

He shook his head.

She smiled softly. "I could still  _ talk _ to him, if you find he won't talk to you."

"You could  _ try _ but I don't know how well that will go."

"Keep trying with him, if anyone has a chance it's you."

He nodded. "He's stubborn though."

"So are you," she reminded fondly, pulling him into a hug. "Don't jump to conclusions, Jack, you two are stronger than this."

He gave her a weak smile. "You know how I am. I jump."

"At least you know someone will always be there to catch you."

"You?" He nudged her shoulder playfully with his own.

“At the very least.” 

Jack sighed heavily, curling into the arm of the couch. "I just... wanted to cuddle with him..."

"Then why don't you?" she asked. "You said he went to lay down, go join him."

Jack grabbed the pillow he was squashing into the arm, shoving it between his knees he brought up to his chest. "I don't want to mess things up anymore."

She sighed softly. "If you're that adamant I won't force you, but I doubt it'll make things worse."

“I just… need a moment.” 

"Take your time. Would you like something to drink? I have travel mugs."

“Yes please.”

She got to her feet. “Hot or cold?” 

“Hot would be nice,” he answered.

She nodded and went off into the kitchen, the sound of her going about making tea familiar.

Jack let his eyes flutter shut, the soothing sounds of the tea lulling him into a doze.

His phone startled him slightly when it buzzed in his pocket.

He made an audible noise of confusion before fumbling around to find it. He checked the side table first, before remembering he was at Ana's and the buzzing didn't come from there.

It took it going off a second time for his brain to catch up and he dug it out of his pocket.

Several tries later, he unlocked his phone, checking his messages.

**[Received 8:31pm] Mikayla : Hey, i just wanted to say sorry for dinner... i was nervous meeting you guys, id heard all about you from media and had no idea who i was meeting tonight. Mom didn't tell me much about my dad and to have two guys ive seen on the news my life show up for dinner... it was overwhelming. i wanna try again sometime soon, without Raph and hopefully without the nerves. it was nice meeting you all the same, and im so sorry for what happened at dinner**

A small smile appeared on Jack's face as he typed out a quick response. He still felt awful for everything that happened earlier, she didn’t deserve to feel like she had messed everything up just by being curious about who her own father was.  

**[Sent 8:35pm] J. Morrison : It was a stressful day for everyone involved. I'm sorry you had to feel you were the cause, but it hasn't been the easiest couple weeks for Gabriel and I. I'm sorry if we let out any of that stress on you**

**[Received 8:37] Mikayla : maybe next time will be better. thanks for coming out to see us, mom's already fond of you and Raph seemed to like you. it takes him time to warm up to people usually. anyway, i just put him down for bed and should try to sleep myself, it's been a long day.**

**[Sent 8:38pm] J. Morrison : Keep in touch**

**[Received 8:38]: Mikayla : You too**

He put his phone back, settling back into the cushions.

Ana came out, travel mug in hand. "You look a little better."

He nodded. “Had a light snooze.”

"I'm glad it seems to have helped." She handed the mug to him, retaking her seat.

He hummed, taking a sip. 

It was sweet and warm and soothing on his tongue. He sighed quietly.

"Thank you, Ana. I think I'm ready to go back now."

She smiled at him. "I'm proud of you, Jack."

"Thanks..." He stood up, giving her a brief hug, before leaving the quarters.

He went back to his own straight away, warm travel mug in hand, phone heavy and silent in his pocket.

It didn't take him too long to reach the door. He unlocked the door, entering as silently as he could. He heaved out a deep sigh, placing the travel mug on the counter, grateful for Ana, before heading into his room.

He found it dark, the broad shape of Gabriel's back facing the door from the bed.

“Hey,” he greeted, voice soft. 

"Hi," the response was instant and quiet as Gabriel shifted to lay on his back.

“You okay?” 

“Are you?” 

He nodded. "You didn't answer my question, though."

He was pulled closer, Gabriel tucking him beneath his chin. "I'm better now."

He nodded. "Don't shut me out... Please..."

"I'm trying my best," Gabriel said into his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey it's been a while.


End file.
